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GENERAL 
LIBRARY 


The  Author  and  Two  of  His  Ministerial  Sons 


HISTORY  of  the 

AFRO-AMERICAN  GROUP 

o///ie  EPISCOPAL 

CHURCH 


By 
GEORGE  F.  BRAGG,  D.  D.,   (Wilb.-  Univ.) 

RECTOR  ST.  JAMES   FIRST  AFRICAN  CHURCH,   BALTO. 

Author  of  "First  Xe^ro  Priest  on  Southern  Soil," 

"Men  of  Maryland/'  etc.,  and   Historiographer  of 

the  Conference  of  Church  Workers 


CHURCH  ADVOCATE  PRESS 

1425  McCuLLOH  Street 

Baltimore,  Maryland 

1922. 


/3  73 


Copyright  applied  for   1922  by 
George  Freeman  Bragg,  Jr. 

Gift 


TO 


The    author's    beloved    mother,    in    Paradise,    his    wife    and 

daughters,  and  all  of  the  noble  men  and  women,  black 

and   white,   living  and   departed,  who    in   anywise 

have  aided  him  in  his  contention  for  a  "Square 

Deal"   toward   the  Negro   People 

in  the  Church 

THIS   VOLUME    IS    AFFECTIONATELY   DEDICATED 


CONTEXTS 
Author's  Preface     --- 23 

The  Introduction 27 

Right  Rev.  T.  DiiBose  Bratton,  D.  D.,  LL. 
D.,  Bishop  of  Mississippi. 

I.     Afro-American  Church  Work        -        29 

Early  Baptisms  of  African  children  mixed 
character  of  the  white  population;  free 
Negroes,  slaves  and  "the  Great  House;" 
special  ministrations. 

II.     Early     Educational    and     Religious 
Effort 33 

In  Goose  Creek  Parish,  S.  C,  in  1695; 
school  established  in  Charleston  in  1743; 
schools  in  Maryland  in  17  50  and  17  61;  Dr. 
Johns  in  1819  prepares  a  special  work  for 
the  instruction  of  the  blacks;  early  re- 
cords of  the  Maryland  Convention;  Bishop 
Elliott  of  Georgia  in  1841  and  1847  on  the 
care  of  the  blacks;  the  institution  of  the 
"slave  gallery;"  an  old  Virginia  document 
of  1801  witnessing  the  remarkable  apti- 
tude of  the  blacks. 

III.     Organized  Work  in  the  North       -       42 

Racial  organizations  consistent  with  the 
Catholicity  of  the  Church;  exceptional  and 
remarkable  characters,  Phylis  Wheatley 
and  Benjamin  Banneker.  Early  emanci- 
pations; free  Negroes  attending  white 
Methodist  Church  in  Philadelphia,  turn  to 


10  The  Afro-American  Group 


the  Church;  Richard  Allen's  account  of 
"the  disturbance"  and  the  result. 

IV.     The  Free  African  Society        -        -        53 

Its  origin  and  benevolent  work;  especially- 
assisted  by  Episcopalians  and  Quakers; 
united  by  correspondence  with  similar  so- 
cieties in  Boston,  Newport  and  elsewhere; 
cared  for  the  sick  as  well  as  constituting 
a  moral  reform  agency  among  the  black 
group;  eventuates  in  "the  African  Church," 
and,  subsequently,  this  African  Church  be- 
comes the  first  Episcopal  Church  in  this 
country  of  persons  of  African  descent. 

V.     St.  Thomas  African  Church,  Phila.     59 

A  group  of  African  Methodists  become 
Churchmen,  and  bring  with  them  their 
own  edifice;  first  example  of  "collective 
bargaining,"  on  the  part  of  the  African 
race;  the  "conditions"  put  forth  by  them 
accepted;  fully  received  with  all  the  rights 
of  other  Episcopal  congregations;  Absalom 
Jones  licensed  as  a  Lay  Reader;  by  the 
dispensing  vote  of  Convention,  ordained  to 
the  ministry;  parish  school  in  1804;  a  rec- 
tory secured;  its  second  rector  a  white 
South  Carolinian;  William  Douglass  of 
Maryland,  its  second  Negro  rector;  Doug- 
lass our  first  Church  historian;  S.  Thomas 
renders    distinguished    services. 

VI.     St.  Philips  African  Church,  N.  Y.     81 

The  first  congregation  of  trained  Church- 
men of  African  descent;  established  under 
the  nurturing  care  of  Trinity  Church;  Pe- 
ter Williams  chief  founder;  only  four  rec- 
tors during  a  period  of  more  than  one  hun- 
dred years;  all  of  them  persons  of  African 
descent;  the  present  rector.  Rev.  Dr. 
Bishop,  has  been  in  charge  for  more  than 
thirty-five  years,  the  longest  period  of  ser- 
vice, as  rector  of  one  parish,  of  any  col- 
ored priest. 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  II 

VII.     St.    James    First    African    Churcei, 

Baltimore         ------         90 

The  first  Negro  priest  on  Southern  soil; 
first  service  held  in  Baltimore  June  22. 
1824;  problem  of  bringing  together  free 
Negroes  and  slaves;  Rev.  Joshua  Peterkin 
a  Southern  white  man  second  rector;  the 
first  ordination  in  St.  James  Church;  or- 
dination of  other  colored  men;  a  day  school 
long  before  the  Civil  War;  institution  of  a 
Benevolent  Society;  many  missonaries  go 
out  from  the  parsh;  a  heroic  witness  on 
slave  territory. 

\^III.     Christ  Church,  Provtdexce,  R.  I.       102 

The  first  effort  of  Alexander  Crummell;  ad^ 
mitted  a  regular  parish  in  union  with  the 
Convention  of  Rhode  Island  in  1843;  the. 
first  colored  parish  from  which  lay  depu- 
ties were  admitted  in  any  diocesan  Con- 
vention; its  rector  visits  England  and  is 
received  by  the  Archbishops  of  Canterbury 
and  York;  Rev.  Mr.  Stokes,  its  rector,  be- 
comes a  missionary  to  Africa:  parish  pass- 
es out  of  existence. 

IX.     St.   Lukes  Church,  New  Havex         106 

Established  by  Rev.  Eli  W.  Stokes  in  June 
1844;  admitted  into  union  with  the  Con- 
vention of  Connecticut;  a  record  of  good 
work  in  this  college  city;  Rt.  Rev.  Dr.  Holly 
late  Bishop  of  Haiti,  a  former  pastor;  a 
number  of  its  communicants  enter  the  min- 
istry. 

X.     The  Church  of  the  Crucifixion, 

Philadelphia Ill 

Established  by  a  white  layman  in  1847;  a 
parish  with  a  white  vestry;  a  long  strug- 
gle for  admission  into  union  with  the  Con- 
vention; Bishop  Alonzo  Potter's  .great 
speech    from    "the   throne"    on    its    behalf; 


12  The  Afro-American  Group 


parish  strongly  endowed  during  the  long 
and  prosperous  rectorship  of  Rev.  Dr.  H. 
L.  Philips.     Abundant  in  all  good  works. 


XI.     St.    Matthews    Church,    Detroit       117 

Organized  by  a  former  colored  Baptist  min_ 
ister  who  had  come  into  the  Church,  "Par- 
son Monroe;"  interrupted  through  the  con- 
troversy of  the  Fugitive  Slave  act;  the  late 
Bishop  Holly  received  from  the  Roman 
communion  in  this  Church  and  ordained  to 
the  diaconate;  parish  disolved,  later  re- 
stored; sustained  a  vigorous  growth  in 
later  years;  a  number  of  eminent  ministers 
from  this  parish. 


XII.     Ct.  Philips  Church,  Newark,  N.  J.     121 

Established  about  the  year  185  6;  the  first 
colored  congregation  in  the  State  of  New 
Jersey;  during  the  second  decade  after 
Civil  War,  Fathers  Massiah  and  Harper 
wrought  most  acceptably:  a  great  work 
was  wrought  under  Father  Hobbie,  a  white 
Marylander  ; through  the  faithful  prepa- 
ratory work  of  Father  Hobbie  colored 
priests  have  ever  followed  in  the  rector- 
ship of  the  parish. 


XIII.     St.  Philips  Church,  Buffalo,  N.  Y.      123 

Established  about  the  close  of  the  Civil 
War  by  Bishop  Coxe  who  manifested  the 
warmest  personal  interest  in  the  work; 
greatly  built  up  under  the  present  rector. 


XIV.     Ix  THE  General  CoNVEXTiox  OF  1868     125 

The  Freedman's  Commission  and  its  work 
discouraging  reports  from  Georgia  and 
South  Carolina;  loss  of  large  numbers  of 
colored  communicants  in  such  dioceses; 
resolutions  of  General  Convention  looking 
to  a  recovery  of  our  lapsed  colored  com- 
municants. 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  13 

XV.     Ix  THE  General  Convention  of  1871   129 

Comment  of  Bishop  Atkinson;  the  Domestic 
and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  of  the 
Churcn  reports  on  the  work  of  the  Freed- 
man's  Commission;  resolutions  with  re- 
spect to  the  work;  report  upon  the  African 
Mission. 

XVI.     The  Mission  Schools         -       -       -       132 

An  important  work  carried  on  at  Peters, 
burg,  Va.;  St.  Stephens  Church  the  out- 
come; two  pupils  of  the  school  sent  to  Lin- 
coln University,  in  preparation  for  Holy 
Orders;  St.  Stephens  Normal  School  suc- 
cessor to  the  Freedman's  School;  colored 
teachers  for  the  public  schools  of  Virginia; 
a  remarkable  work  of  one  woman.  Mrs. 
Ruford,  in  the  county  of  Brunswick. 

XVII.     After  the  Civil  War         -       -       -       136 

Some  conditions  previous  to  the  war;  John 
K.  Green  of  New  Berne,  N.  C,  had  a  pew 
^  in  a  white  church;  beginnings  in  Kentucky 
under  Bishop  B.  B.  Smith;  from  the  Epis- 
copal addresses  of  a  number  of  Southern 
Bishops  with  respect  to  the  situation  and 
their  attitude. 

XVIII.     Fighting  Against  Ignorance         -       142 

Labors  of  Daniel  Alexander  Payne,  John 
M.  Brown,  and  others  against  ignorance 
within  the  African  Church;  extracts  from 
the  writings  of  African  Methodists  indi- 
cating the  utter  ignorance  of  the  masses 
and  their  opposition  towards  education. 

XIX.     The  Vexing  Situation       -       -       -       150 

Growth  after  long  and  patient  waiting;  a 
new  problem  arises;  the  ecclessiastical  re- 
lations of  the  black  man;  the  "Sewanee 
Conference"  considers  the  subject;  their 
findings  not  acceptable  to  colored  Church- 


14  The  Afro-American  Group 


men;  the  policy  of  restriction  and  friction; 
the  Negro  question  in  diocesan  assemblies; 
Negro  priests  memorialize  General  Conven- 
tion; the  Suffragan  and  Missionary  Epis- 
copate; the  undecided  question  of  "status:" 
the  action  of  the  General  Convention  of 
1916. 


XX.     Conference  of  Church  Workers 

Among  Colored  People      -       -       -       161 

Origin  of  the  Conference;  the  Cliurch  Com- 
mission for  work  among  the  race;  the 
Church  Advocate;  King  Hall,  Archdeacons 
and  other  agencies;  memorializing  Gen- 
eral Convention;  educating  the  Negro  cler- 
gy in  ecclessiastical  proceedure;  introduc- 
ing our  workers  one  to  another;  interpret- 
ing the  Episcopal  Church  to  the  race,  and 
interpreting  the  powers  of  the  race  to  the 
Church. 


XXL     Some  Veteran  Friends        -       -       -       169 

Bishops  Atkinson,  Lyman,  Johns,  Whittle, 
Smith,  Quintard,  Whittingham,  Howe,  Ste- 
vens, Young,  Dudley,  Mr.  Joseph  Bryan, 
General  Samuel  C.  Armstrong,  Mrs.  Loom- 
is  L.  White  and  others. 


XXII.     Some   Self-Made    Strong   Chaarc- 

TERS,  AND  Others    .  .   -       -       -       -       172 

James  E.  Thompson,  Cassius  M.  C.  Mason, 
James  Solomon  Russell,  James  Nelson  Dea- 
ver,  Henry  Mason  Joseph,  Henry  Stephen 
McDuffy,  Primus  Priss  Alston,  Paulus 
Moort,  Henry  L.  Phillips,  August  E.  Jen- 
sen, Joshua  Bowden  Massiah,  William  Vic- 
tor Tunnell  and  John  W.  Perry;  Deacon, 
ness  Betchler,  Miss  Alice  Roosevelt,  daugh_ 
ter  of  President  Roosevelt,  a  worker  within 
our  group. 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church 


15 


XXIII.     The   Clergy  List   Prior  to   1866 


185 


Absalom  Jones,  Peter  Williams,  William 
Levington,  James  C.  Ward,  Jacob  Oson, 
Gustavus  V.  Caesar,  Edward  Jones,  Wil- 
liam Douglass,  Isaiah  G.  DeGrasse,  Alex- 
ander Crummell,  Eli  Worthington  Stokes, 
William  C.  Munroe,  Samuel  Vreeland  Ber- 
ry, Harrison  Holmes  Webb.  James  Theo- 
dore Holly,  William  Johnson  Alston,  John 
Peterson, 


XXIV.     Rt.  Rev.  Samuel  David  Ferguson, 

D.  D.,  D.  C.  L.        -----      201 

Birth  and  Baptism  in  Charleston  S.  C; 
carried  to  Africa  when  six  years  of  age; 
educated  in  the  mission  schools;  ordained 
to  the  ministry  by  Bishop  Payne;  conse- 
crated a  Bshop  in  New  York  in  1885;  his 
successful  work  in  the  Episcopate. 

XXV.     Bishop  John  Pavxe  and  Others       208 


XXVI.     Rt.  Rev.  Edward  Thomas  Demby, 
D.  D.       ------       - 


212 


Elected  Bishop  Suffragan  in  Arkansas  for 
colored  work;  born  in  Delaware,  raised  in 
Philadelphia;  wrought  in  the  South;  first 
colored  priest  consecrated  in  this  country 
a  Suffragan  Bishop. 


XXVII.     Rt.  Rev.  Henry  B.  Delany,  D.  D.      213 

Elected  and  consecrated  Bishop  Suffragan 
of  North  Carolina  for  colored  work;  born 
in  Georgia;  raised  in  Florida;  educated  at 
St.  Augustines,  Raleigh;  Vice-President 
and  Busness  Manager  of  the  school;  a 
member  of  the  Church  Commission  for 
Colored  Work;  Archdeacon  of  colored  work 
in  North  Carolina. 


16  The  Afro-American  Group 


XV^II.     Rt.  Rev.  T.  Momolu  Gardiner,  D.  D.  214 

Elected  Bishop  Suffragan  of  Liberia,  by 
the  House  of  Bishops;  rescued  from  heath- 
endom; educated  in  the  mission  schools; 
confirmed  and  admitted  to  the  ministry  by 
Bishop  Ferguson;  consecrated  in  New 
York,  June,    19  21. 

XXIX.     Our  Numerical  Strength        -       -       215 

Number  of  communicants,  and  clergy  by 
dioceses;  by  provinces;  a  general  summary 
of  the  same. 


XXX.     Our  Church  Schools  and  Other 

Institutions  _       _       _       _       _       219 

The  Bishop  Payne  Divinity.  Petersburg; 
St.  Paul  Normal  and  Industrial,  Lawrence, 
ville;  St.  Augustine,  Raleigh:  Fort  Valley 
High  and  Industrial,  Fort  Valley,  Ga.; 
St.  Athanasius,  Brunswick.  Ga.;  St.  Marks 
for  Girls,  Birmingham;  Vicksburg  Indus- 
trial, Vicksburg.  Miss.;  Okolona  Normal 
and  Industrial.  Okolona.  Miss.;  Gaudet 
Normal  and  Industrial,  New  Orleans,  La.; 
St.  Marys  School  for  Girls.  Germantown, 
Pa.;  the  American  Church  Institute,  St. 
Monicas  Home,  Boston,  Mass.;  the  Home 
for  the  Homeless,  Philadelphia;  the  House 
of  the  Holy  Child,  Philadelphia;  House  of 
St.  Michael  and  All  Angels,  for  crippled 
children;  St.  Marys  Home  for  Boys,  Bal- 
timore; St.  Katharines  Home  for  Little 
Girls,  Baltimore;  the  Maryland  Home  for 
Friendless  Colored  Children,  Ellicott  City, 
Md.;  the  Crummell  Home  for  the  Aged, 
Washington,  D.  C;  St.  Agnes  Hospital, 
Raleigh,  N.  C;  Good  Samaritan  Hospital, 
Charlotte.  N.  C. 

XXXI.     The  Work  in  the  Provinces         -       226 

New  England;  New  York  and  New  Jersey; 
Washington;    Sewanee;  the  Mid-West;  the 
Northwest;  the  Southwest;  the  Pacific. 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  17 

XXXII.     The  Matter  of  Self  Support      -  244 

XXXIII.  The  Fruit  of  the  System      -      -  251 

XXXIV.  Some  Black  Men  of  Mark       -      -  258 

XXXV.     Character     the     Great     Thing, 

Crummell 262 

XXXVI.     Ordinations  From  1866      -       -       -  267 

XXXVII.     Clerical  Directory      -       ...  285 

XXXVIII.     A  Closing  Word    -       -      -      .      .  29.^ 


APPENDICES 

1.  Bishop  Paret  axd  the  African  Methodists  298 

2.  "My  Last  Work,  etc." 304 

3.  Philips  Brooks 307 

4.  Address  to  Southern  Bishops         -      -      -  310 

5.  St.   Louis  Convention 314 

6.  Fixing  the    Point  of   Contact      -      -      -  318 

7.  The  Right  Thing  to  Do 319 


I  LLV  ST  RATION  S 

1.  Frontispiece  -  The  Author  and  two   of  his 

Ministerial  Sons 

2.  Bishop  White,  Absalom  Jones  and  Richard 

Allen page  26 

3.  The  Baltimore  Conference  (1917)  of  Church 

Workers page  160 

4.  The  Conference  of  Church  Workers  at  the 

Consecration  of  Bishop  Delany     -     page  168 

5.  Bishops  Holly,  Demby  and  Del.\ny     -     page  194 

6.  Deaconness  Bechtler        .        -        .        page  180 

7.  Bishops    John    Payne,    Ferguson    and    Gar- 

diner                page  204 


THE    AUTHOR'S    PREFACE 

The  Author  feels  that  the  difficulties  and  hard  condi- 
tions under  which  the  present  volume  is  brought  to  birth 
should  be  known.  Our  ministry  has  been  of  a  laborious  and 
exacting  character.  Believing  thoroughly  in  self-support  we 
have  been  thrown  completely  upon  the  love  of  our  people, 
who,  although  both  loving  and  loyal,  by  reason  of  their  pov- 
erty have  not  been  able  to  vouchsafe  a  support  with  sufficient 
margin  to  cover  such  outside  ministries,  to  our  group,  as  the 
times  seem  to  require.  What  we  have  been  enabled  to  do 
for  others,  both  in  the  community  and  elsewhere,  required 
the  greatest  economy,  self-sacrifice  and  incessant  labor.  We 
are  happy  because  of  the  service  we  have  been  privileged  to 
render  under  such  circumstances.  With  this  in  mind,  we 
humbly  beg  our  friends  to  be  merciful  as  they  note  the 
shortcomings  of  our  story.  However,  we  feel  that  with  all 
the  imperfections  of  the  work,  a  distinct  contribution  has 
been  made  in  the  field  of  Church  literature. 

We  desire  in  this  public  manner  to  express  our  grateful 
thanks  and  appreciation  to  the  Bishop  of  Mississippi,  the  Rt. 
Rev.  Dr.  Bratton,  for  his  loving  co-operation  and  help  in 
connection  with  this  work. 

We  not  only  sincerely  thank  Mr.  Edward  P.  Morris,  a 
communicant  of  our  parish,  and  a  Virginia  young  man,  for 
the  conspicuous  part  taken  by  him  in  connection  with  this 
volume,  but  we  feel  particularly  honored  in  being  able  to 


24  The  Afro-American  Group 

have  one  of  our  own  group,  presented  by  us  for  Confirmation, 
linotype  the  matter  of  the  book,  and  also  prepare  the  forms 
for  the  press ;  and  all  this  at  a  considerable  saving  to  us. 

And  in  the  same  connection,  we  must  express  our  appre- 
ciation and  thanks  for  the  helpfulness  of  Mr.  William  H. 
Knox,  printer,  also  a  communicant  of  St.  James,  Baltimore, 
and  a  graduate  of  St.  Paul  School,  Lawrenceville,  where  he 
learnt  his  trade. 

The  frontispiece  is  a  picture  of  the  author,  the  Rev.  C. 
R.  Dawson,  Cumberland,  Md.,  and  Rev.  Gustave  H.  Cau- 
tion, assistant  to  us,  by  the  appointment  of  his  Bishop.  In 
their  infancy  each  of  them  laid  in  the  author's  arms,  when 
they  received  their  Christian  names.  On  June  3,  1922  the 
author  presented  them  both  for  ordination — Mr.  Caution  to 
the  diaconate,  and  Mr.  Dawson  to  the  priesthood. 


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INTROD  UCTION 
By 
The  Rt.  Rev.  Theodore  DuBose  Bratton,  D.  D.  LL.  D. 
Bishop  of  Mississippi 

THE  AUTHOR  of  this  valuable  book,  whose  introduction 
I  have  been  accorded  the  honor  to  write,  is  the  His- 
toriographer of  the  Afro-American  Episcopal  Church. 
For  many  years  he  has  been  the  repositorv  of  the  records  of 
his  people,  and  to  him  have  gone  those  seeking  authentic  in- 
formation. As  editor  and  essayist  during  thirty  years  past,  his 
own  publications  of  current  history  have  become  sources,  in 
large  measure,  of  this  labor  of  love  for  his  people  and  his 
Church.  The  book  is  written  out  of  the  fullness  of  mature 
years  and  vast  experience.  To  singular  facility  for  gathering 
exact  facts  have  been  added  Dr.  Bragg's  love  of  his  Church 
and  of  his  people,  and  the  enthusiasm  of  the  historian  who 
loves  facts  but  loves  still  more  the  life  which  lived  them.  The 
book  is  the  story  of  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation  in  Ameri- 
can Negro  Life,  and  of  its  fruits,  an  entransingly  interesting 
story  to  every  Churchman  who  loves  to  watch  what  the 
Lord  God  is  doing  among  the  sons' of  men. 

With  the  conclusions  and  deductions  there  may  not  be 
unanimity  among  readers ;  for  all  alike  the  story  will  be  illu- 
minating and  fascinating  as  the  faithful  record  of  growth 
and  progress  which  is  God's  doing  and  marvellous  in  our 
eyes. 

To  the  student  of  history  reverence  for  the  past  is  found- 
ed upon  the  assurance  of  God's  hand  busy  in  shaping  ends, 
and  the  proof  of  it  in  the  sure  progress  of  nations  and  races 


28  -The  Afro-American  Group 

which  have  put  their  trust  in  Him.  Each  past  is  the  founda- 
tion of  its  future,  and,  however  faulty,  may  be  trusted  be- 
cause God  is  able  to  bind  the  broken. 

The  author  has  not  hesitated  to  count  the  rents  in  the 
foundations  of  the  Zion  whose  towers  he  tells,  while  rev- 
erently grateful  for  the  beauties  which  distinguished  her 
turrets  and  joyfully  confident  of  the  stability  and  security 
of  God's  holy  city,  as  opening  her  gates  more  and  more  wide- 
ly she  welcomes  the  races  of  men. 

Through  the  wide  open  gates  the  Negro  has  entered  and 
has  become  a  builder  together  with  God.  The  task  of  the 
standard-bearers  is  very  great,  very  sacred  and  encompassed 
with  difficulties;  but  it  is  supremely  the  task  of  the  Negro, 
for  w^hich  God's  grace  is  sufficient — the  ability  to  plan  and 
to  execute,  to  organize  and  to  administer  the  affairs  of 
Church  has  been  demonstrated.  The  task  of  the  leaders  is 
to  lift  up,  to  edify,  to  encourage  and  to  regenerate  by  God's 
grace,  the  great  mass  of  their  backward  people;  but  it  is  su- 
premely their  task.  What  is  needed  from  white  friends  and 
co-members  of  the  Church  is  the  ability  to  recognize  the 
transforming,  regenerating  power  of  grace  working  in  the 
great  Negro  race,  and  the  ready  sympathy  to  help  on  the  up- 
building, by  honoring  the  strong,  balanced,  spiritual  charac- 
ters raised  up  by  God  to  be  the  leaders  and  examples  of  their 
people.  It  is  thus  that  peoples  grow  in  grace  as  they  grow 
in  age. 

It  is  for  this  that  Dr.  Bragg's  book,  in  every  chapter,  is 
an  unconscious  appeal. 

God  bless  the  book  and  its  message  to  the  Church,  to  the 
faithful  of  both  races  in  the  bonds  of  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord 
and  Saviour. 

Theodore  DuBose  Bratton 
July,  1922. 


CHAPTER  I. 

AFRO-AM  ERIC  AX    CHURCH    WORK 

When  the  Church  of  England  came  to  America,  it  sought 
to  embrace  all  of  the  people,  without  respect  to  race.  Despite 
the  difficulties  and  unfavorable  conditions  the  very  early 
records  of  parish  churches  disclose  the  fact  that  babes  of  Afri- 
can descent  were  brought  to  Holy  Baptism  and  incorporated 
into  the  Church  of  Christ.  The  children  of  the  slaves  or 
servant  class,  were  diligently  instructed  in  the  Church  Cate- 
chism, and,  at  the  proper  time,  brought  to  the  Bishop  for 
Confirmation.  That  is.  after  the  Church  in  this  country  had 
received  the  Episcopate.  But,  it  must  be  remembered  that 
the  Episcopate  was  not  obtained  until  the  year  1787.  The 
English  Society  for  the  propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign 
Parts  manifested  a  special  interest  in  providing  for  the  reli- 
gious instruction  of  the  slave  population  in  the  American 
colonies.  The  white  population  in  these  colonies  were  not 
all  of  the  same  class  or  quality.  Nor  were  the  more  numer- 
ous elements  especially  friendly  to  the  Church  of  England 
and  her  method  of  presentation  of  the  Gospel.  Under  such 
circumstances  it  was  not  at  all  strange  that  there  was  wide- 
spread indifference  with  respect  to  the  religious  training  of 
the  slave  population.  And,  then,  at  the  first,  there  was  a 
general  feeling  that  Baptism  operated  in  converting  the  slave 
into  a  free  man.  Until  the  consciences  of  many  were  satis- 
fied that  Baptism  did  not  destroy  the  relation  of  master  and 
slave,  but  little  progress  was  made  in  the  conversion  of  the 


30  The  Afro-American  Group 

slaves  to  Christianity.  All  along  there  were  those  whose 
tender  consciences  suffered  no  change  in  this  matter,  and 
gradually,  many  manumissions  ensued.  By  degrees,  owing 
largely  to  this  conviction,  there  came  into  being  an  ever  in- 
creasing class  of  "free  Negroes."  A  number  of  very  sincere 
white  Christians  in  their  last  will  and  testament  set  free 
forever  their  slaves.  Then,  in  the  North,  following  the 
Revolutionary  War,  there  was  a  general,  or  gradual,  eman- 
cipation of  slaves.  It  is  from  this  period  that  formal  organi- 
zations among  the  colored  people  date.  From  then  on  to 
the  Civil  War,  the  record  of  organized  Church  life  among 
the  people  of  African  descent  is  confined  almost  exclusively 
to  the  Northern  States,  where  the  largest  number  of  "free 
Negroes"  resided.  In  the  South  the  religious  instruction  of 
the  colored  people  was  carried  on  under  varying  forms. 
Usually  the  black  people  of  a  particular  plantation  who 
attended  any  religious  instruction  gave  in  their  adhesion  to 
the  same  religious  faith  of  their  masters.  In  a  number  of 
the  white  churches  there  was  always  "the  Negro  gallery" 
for  the  slaves.  In  some  places  where  the  slaves  were  exceed- 
ingly numerous  special  chapels  were  erected  for  them  in 
which  they  were  diligently  gathered  and  instructed.  Uni- 
formly white  ministers  were  placed  over  these  chapels.  But, 
simultaneously  with  these  special  chapels,  and  "the  Negro 
gallery"  in  white  churches,  there  came  into  being  an  "invis- 
ible" institution  among  the  slaves,  which,  to  them,  was  the 
real  thing,  despite  their  formal  attendance  upon  the  min- 
istrations of  white  ministers.  This  institution  was  the  native 
Negro  Church,  the  great  conservator  of  religious  fervor  and 
zeal  among  the  black  people  of  the  South.  This  institution 
produced  the  famous  "ante-bellum"  Negro  preacher,  the 
celebrated  spiritual  songs  of  the  slaves,  as  well  as  those  beau- 
tiful characters  known  in  the  old  Southern  dialect  as  "the 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  31 

uncles"  and  "the  mammies."  However,  altogether,  "the 
Great  House"  possibly,  was  the  chief  civilizer  and  Christian- 
izer  of  the  black  man.  But  in  this  connection  it  must  be 
borne  in  mind  that  the  blacks  reached  by  "the  Great  House" 
were  but  a  fractional  part  of  the  great  masses.  As  a  rule, 
the  occupants  of  the  mansion  house  were  people  of  much  re- 
finement, education  and  tenderness.  The  "great  house," 
with  its  elegantly  furnished  rooms  and  equipment  was  con- 
stantly the  scene  of  the  display  of  the  highest  intellectual 
and  social  life  of  the  country.  Attached  to  this  institution 
were  any  number  of  servants,  such  as  cooks,  porters,  valets, 
maids  and  other  attendants.  These  lived  constantly  in  the 
midst  of  the  life  of  "the  great  house,"  and,  reflecting  the 
same,  were  transformed  into  its  likeness.  Many  of  them 
were  the  constant  attendants  of  those  they  served,  at  balls, 
theatres,  hunting  parties,  lectures,  and,  in  fact,  wherever 
the  people  of  the  great  house  were,  by  their  sides  and  at  their 
command  were,  their  black  men  and  women.  They  shared 
in  the  worship  of  family  prayers  and  listened  to  the  reading 
of  the  Scriptures,  and  the  comments  made  thereon.  They 
were  attentive  listeners  as  they  waited  in  the  spacious  dining 
room  upon  distinguished  judges,  statesmen  and  others.  And, 
in  many  ways,  their  contact  with  the  great  house  was  to  them 
a  university  training. 

On  the  other  hand  the  great  masses  of  the  black  race  on 
plantations,  in  hard  out-door  life,  were  constantly  in  contact 
with  and  lived  in  the  life  of  the  "overseer  class,"  and  "the 
poor  whites,"  and  reflecting  that  low  coarse  and  vulgar  life, 
were  likewise  transformed  into  its  image.  After  the  Civil 
War  the  religious  life  of  the  colored  people  of  the  South  as- 
sumed a  new  setting.     Rather,  the  "invj<?ible"  Negro  Church 


32  The  Afro-American  Group 

which  had  existed  all  along,  became  "visible"  and  began  to 
adjust  itself  to  the  changed  situation  of  affairs. 

The  foregoing  observations  with  respect  to  the  religious 
life,  in  general,  of  the  colored  people  are  most  helpful,  as 
throwing  light  upon  the  situation  when  we  come  to  narrate 
the  specific  effort  of  the  Church  in  Church  extension  among 
the  race. 

Possibly  we  can  more  fully  appreciate  many  of  the  diffi- 
culties in  this  particuular  field  if  we  ever  keep  in  mind  that 
ours  is  the  only  one  of  the  great  representative  religious  bodies 
of  this  country,  which,  from  first  to  last,  has  sought  to  main- 
tain a  comprehensive  unity,  embracing  all  sections  of  the 
country  as  well  as  all  races. 


CHAPTER  II. 

EARLY  EDUCATIONAL  AND  RELIGIOUS  EFFORT 

Dr.  Carter  G.  Woodson,  in  his  admirable  book,  ''The 
History  of  the  Negro  Church,"  (1922),  gives  an  account  of 
a  very  early  effort  in  South  Carolina,  which  we  reproduce 
as  there  given: 

**The  first  successful  worker  in  this  field  was  the  Rev. 
Samuel  Thomas  of  Goose  Creek  Parish  in  the  colony  of 
South  Carolina.  The  records  show  that  he  was  thus  engaged 
as  early  as  1695  and  that  ten  years  later  he  reported  twenty 
black  communicants,  who,  with  several  others,  well  under- 
stood the  English  language.  By  1705  he  had  brought  under 
his  instruction  as  many  as  one  thousand  slaves,  'many  of 
whom,'  said  he,  'could  read  the  Bible  distinctly  and  great 
numbers  of  them  were  engaged  in  learning  the  Scriptures.'  '* 
When  these  blacks  approached  the  Communion  Table,  how- 
ever, some  white  persons  seriously  objected,  inquiring  wheth- 
er it  was  possible  that  slaves  should  go  to  heaven  anyway. 
But  having  the  co-operation  of  a  number  of  liberal  slave- 
holders in  that  section,  and  working  in  collaboration  with 
Mrs.  Haig,  Mrs.  Edwards  and  the  Rev.  E.  Taylor,  who 
Baptized  a  number  of  them,  the  missionaries  in  that  colony 
prepared  the  way  for  the  Christianization  of  the  Negro 
slaves.  Becoming  interested  in  the  thorough  indoctrination 
of  these  slaves,  Mr.  Taylor  planned  for  their  instruction, 
encouraging  the  slave  holders  to  teach  the  blacks  at  least  to 


34  The  Afro-American  Group 

the  extent  of  learning  the  Lord's  Prayer.  Manifesting  such 
interest  in  these  unfortunate  blacks,  their  friends  easily  in- 
duced them  to  attend  church  in  such  large  numbers  that  they 
could  not  be  accomodated.  "So  far  as  the  missionaries  were 
permitted,"  says  one,  "they  did  all  that  was  possible  for  their 
evangelization,  and  while  so  many  professed  Christians 
among  the  whites  were  luke-warm,  it  pleased  God  to  raise  to 
Himself  devout  servants  among  the  heathen,  whose  faithful- 
ness was  commended  by  the  masters  themselves."  In  sojne 
of  the  congregations  the  Negroes  constituted  one-half  of  the 
Communicants.  This  interest  in  evangelizing  the  Negroes 
was  extended  into  other  parts.  In  1723  Rev.  Mr.  Guy,  of 
St.  Andrew's  Parish,  had  among  his  Communicants  a  slave, 
"a  sensible  Negro  who  can  read  and  write,  and  come  to 
church,  a  catechumen  under  probation  for  Baptism,  which  he 
desires." 

A  new  stage  in  the  progress  of  this  movement  was  reach- 
ed in  1743  when  there  was  established  at  Charleston,  S.  C, 
a  special  school  to  train  Negroes  for  participation  in  this 
missionary  work.  This  school  was  opened  by  Commissary 
Garden  and  placed  in  charge  of  Harry  and  Andrew,  two 
young  men  of  color,  who  had  been  thoroughly  instructed  in 
the  rudiments  of  education  and  in  the  doctrines  of  the 
Church.  It  not  only  served  as  the  training  school  for  mis- 
sionary workers,  but  directed  its  at^tention  also  to  the  special 
needs  of  adults  who  studied  therein  during  the  evenings. 
From  this  school  there  were  sent  out  from  year  to  year  num- 
bers of  youths  to  undertake  this  work  in  various  parts  of 
the  colony  of  South  Carolina.  After  having  accomplished 
so  much  good  for  about  a  generation,  however,  the  school 
was,  in  1763,  closed  for  various  reasons,  one  of  them  being 
that  one  of  the  instructors  died  and  the  other  proved  ineffi- 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  35 

Such  is  the  interesting  story  as  related  by  Dr.  Woodson. 

In  the  colony  of  Maryland,  as  far  back  as  1761,  the  Rev. 
Thomas  Bacon,  a  clergyman  of  the  Church  of  England,  inau- 
gurated a  free  school  for  black  children  in  Frederick  county. 
And  even  long  before  this  date  the  same  clergyman  had  in- 
augurated a  school  in  Talbot  county,  for  the  poorer  classes 
of  both  races.  Some  years  ago  in  a  published  essay  comment- 
ing on  this  early  venture,  Mr.  Lawrence  C.  Worth,  the 
assistant  of  the  Enoch  Pratt  Library,  as  well  as  historiogra- 
pher of  the  diocese  of  Maryland,  said : 

"Mr.  Bacon  had  set  an  example  in  the  Province  in  re- 
gard to  the  Christian  education  of  Negro  slaves,  which  was 
not  generally  to  be  followed  by  either  clergy  or  laity  for 
many  generations.  It  was  probably  his  work  among  the  Ne- 
groes which  led  to  the  project  of  founding  a  sort  of  manual 
training  industrial  school  for  poor  children.  In  a  subscrip- 
tion paper  circulated  in  1750,  he  remarks  upon  the  profane- 

ness  and  debauchery,  idleness  and  immorality especially 

among  the  poorer  sort  in  this  province,  and  asks  for  yearly 
subscriptions  'for  setting  up  a  charity  working  school  in  the 
Parish  of  St.  Peter's,  Talbot  county,  for  maintaining  and 
teaching  poor  children  to  read,  write  and  account,  and  in- 
structing them  in  the  knowledge  and  practice  of  the  Chris- 
tian Religion  as  taught  in  the  Church  of  England.' 

"A  few  months  later  he  had  received  from  a  goodly  list 
of  subscribers,  among  them  the  Proprietary  and  Lady  Baltic 
more,  Cecelius  Calvert  and  Bishop  Wilson,  a  sufficient  fund 
for  the  running  expenses,  and  in  the  course  of  a  few  years 
his  subscriptions  permitted  the  purchase  of  one  hundred 
acres  of  land,  and  the  erection  of  a  suitable  brick  home  and 
school.  Thus,  in  the  year  1755,  and  for  many  thereafter, 
Talbot   county  boasted   a  fine  charity  school;   but,    thirty 


36  The  Afro-American  Group 

years  later,  when  Bacon  and  nearly  all  of  the  original  trus- 
tees were  dead,  it  was  turned  over  to  the  county  for  use  as 
a  poorhouse.  The  institution  seems  to  have  been  born  before 
its  time,  so  far  as  Maryland  was  concerned." 

Hawks,  the  Church  historian,  in  writing  of  the  Mary- 
land Diocesan  Convention  of  1819,  says:  -  -  -  "parochial 
lending  libraries  were  recommended  to  the  parishes,  and 
the  religious  instruction  of  the  blacks  became  an  object  of 
interest.  The  present  assistant  Bishop  of  Virginia,  (Johns) 
then  a  presbyter,  presented  to  the  Convention  a  number  of 
copies  of  a  work  he  had  caused  to  be  published,  designed  for 
the  instruction  of  the  Negroes.  These  were  thankfully  re- 
ceived and  the  benevolent  effort  to  colonize  the  free  people 
of  color  in  Africa,  with  their  own  consent,  then  making  by 
the  American  Colonization  Society,  received  the  hearty  ap- 
probation of  the  Convention." 

The  rector  of  St.  John's  Church,  Washington,  D.  C,  in 
1824,  in  making  his  annual  report  to  the  Convention,  said: 
"A  class  of  colored  people  has  been  formed,  amounting  to 
about  forty,  who  manifest  an  earnest  desire  to  learn  to  read, 
and  to  unite  in  the  forms  of  worship  established  by  our 
venerable  Church." 

In  the  journal  of  1824,  Mar3dand  Convention,  the  rector 
of  Trinity  Parish,  Charles  count}^,  says:  "The  black  com- 
municants present  the  most  interesting  appearance  in  their 
great  devotion  and  regular  attendance  on  Divine  worship." 
In  that  same  report  one  white  Baptism  is  given  against 
twenty-six  blacks  who  received  the  same  sacrament." 

All  of  the  Southern  Bishops  manifested  the  most  tender 
care  towards  this  portion  of  their  Episcopal  duty.  Bishop 
Whittingham,  Maryland,  was  particularly  conspicuous  and 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  37 

zealous  in  the  matter.  He  constantly  came  into  the  closest 
possible  personal  touch  with  the  slaves,  and,  directly,  and 
personally,  instructed  them  himself.  Indicating  the  serious- 
ness of  his  studies  in  the  matter  after  the  close  of  the  Civil 
War,  when  plans  and  methods  for  this  w^ork  were  being  dis- 
cussed, writing  to  the  Bishop  of  South  Carolina,  he  said  in 
part:  "Long  before  the  Civil  War  I  had  been  driven  to 
meditate  upon  it,  (the  Missionary  Episcopate)  by  conviction 
that  the  blacks  in  my  own  diocese  could  not  be  efficiently 
provided  for  on  our  present  scheme." 

Bishop  Stephen  Elliott,  of  Georgia,  was  a  native  of  South 
Carolina.  Before  becoming  the  Bishop  of  Georgia  he  had 
most  affectionately  and  devotedly  labored  among  the  Negroes 
of  his  native  State.  In  his  very  first  Convention  address  as 
Bishop,  1841,  he  reviews  at  great  length  the  subject  of  the 
religious  care  of  the  black  people.  He  began  with  this  signi- 
ficant paragraph:  "The  religious  instruction  of  our  domes- 
tics and  of  the  Negroes  upon  plantations,  is  a  subject  that 
never  should  be  passed  over  in  the  address  of  a  Southern 
Bishop."  Six  years  later  in  his  Convention  address  of 
1847,  he  was  particularly  gracious  in  his  treatment  of  the 
same  subject.  In  part  he  said:  "During  the  last  week  I 
visited  the  mission  upon  the  north  side  of  the  great  Ogeechee 
river,  under  the  charge  of  the  Rev.  William  C.  Williams.  A 
neat  country  church  has  been  erected  by  some  of  the  planters 
of  that  side  of  the  river,  which  was  sufficiently  completed  for 
services,  but  not  for  Consecration.  I  officiated  in  it  on  Sun- 
day the  18th  of  April,  when  eight  candidates  were  presented 
for  Confirmation,  the  first  fruits  of  the  labors  of  their  earnest 
missionary.  Mr.  Williams  is  pursuing  the  only  plan  which 
will  be  of  any  service  with  this  class  of  our  population,  iden- 
tifying hmiself  w^ith  their  spiritual  condition  and  going  in 


38  The  Afro-American  Group 

and  out  among  them  as  their  pastor  and  guide.  The  im- 
pression is  that  the  Negroes  are  averse  from  the  services  of 
our  Church.  It  is  a  great  mistake  except  so  far  as  that 
aversion  may  have  arisen  from  ignorance  or  neglect.  Let  a 
clergyman  of  the  Episcopal  Church  settle  anywhere  in  the 
midst  of  them  and  make  himself  comprehended  among  them 
and  minister  at  their  sick  beds,  and  be  with  them  in  their 
moments  of  temptation  and  affliction,  and  prove  himself  their 
friend  and  teacher,  and  very  soon  will  they  welcome  him  to 
their  hearts  with  the  same  true  affection  with  which  they 
now  cling  to  those  who  now  labor  among  them.  It  is  my 
earnest  hope  that  our  Episcopal  planters  will  take  this  matter 
into  consideration  and  make  arrangements  for  the  employ- 
ment of  missionaries  of  their  own  Church,  so  that  masters 
and  servants  may  worship  together  in  unity  of  spirit  and  in 
the  bond  of  peace.  It  would  tend  very  much  to  strengthen 
the  relation  of  masters  and  slaves  by  bringing  into  action  the 
highest  and  holiest  feelings  of  our  common  natures.  There 
should  be  much  less  danger  of  inhumanity  on  the  one  side,  or 
of  insubordination  on  the  other,  between  parties  who  knelt 
upon  the  Lord's  Day  around  the  same  Table,  and  were  par- 
takers of  the  same  Communion." 

THE  SLAVE  GALLERY 

The  ordinary  reader,  who  is  not  well-informed  is  more 
than  apt  to  look  upon  the  "slave  gallery"  in  one  aspect  only. 
Quite  likely  such  may  regard  that  particular  kind  of  provis- 
ion for  the  slaves  as  a  manifestation  of  prejudice,  pure  and 
simple.  But  surely  such  a  superficial  observation  would  not 
be  indicative  of  a  desire  to  express  the  truth. 

When  one  recalls  the  actual  condition  of  the  people 
brought  hither  from  the  barbarism  of  their  native  land,  their 
ignorance   and   general   unpreparedness   in   every   particular 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  39 

for  an  intelligent  participation  in  public  worship,  and,  with 
abundant  doubt  entertained  with  respect  to  their  capacity  to 
assimilate  and  incorporate  ideas,  the  slave  gallery  was  a 
most  convenient  testing  and  proving  ground  for  the  unex- 
plored ignorance  thus  brought  close  enough  for  experiment. 
Said  Thomas  Jefferson,  ''Man  is  an  imitative  animal.  This 
quality  is  the  germ  of  all  education  in  him.  From  his  cradle 
to  his  grave  he  is  learning  to  do  what  he  sees  others  do."  If, 
in  the  ordinary  work-day-life  the  slave  was  steadily  learning 
through  such  a  process,  certainly  his  spiritual  powers  and 
religious  aspirations  needed  the  same  treatment,  and  this  he 
certainly  received  through  the  agency  of  the  slave  gallery. 
Here  he  was  brought  into  constant  contact  with  the  best  in 
that  line,  and  the  provision  made  for  his  reception  of  the 
same  was  strictly  in  keeping  with  that  made  for  his  acquire- 
ment of  worldly  knowledge  and  skill.  The  fact  is  the  ex- 
periment proved  a  complete  success;  for,  out  of  the  slave 
gallery  came  enlightenment,  conversions,  and  Negro  church- 
es. Out  of  these  came  awakened  powers  and  ambitions  for 
group-leadership.  It  accounts  largely  for  the  wonder- 
ful progress  made  by  the  f reedmen  immediately  following  the 
Civil  War.  For  it  was  not  the  field  hand,  or  the  quarter- 
Negro  who  became  the  leader  and  group  preacher,  but  rather 
the  Negro  from  ''the  slave  gallery,"  who  by  his  contact  with 
the  best  expressions  of  religion,  and  his  closer  association  with 
the  best  of  the  whites,  had  sufficiently  incorporated  such 
ideas  as  to  reflect  the  same,  and  inwardly  grow  through  a 
continuous  outward  reflection  of  what  he  had  received.  Thus 
"the  invisible  institution"  became  a  mighty  visible  force. 

But  the  remarkable  powers  of  the  Negro  were  discovered 
long  before  the  Revolutionary  War,  as  witnessed  by  a  letter 
addressed  to  a  member  of  the  Virginia  General  Assembly  in 
1801  by  the  Hon.  Judge  Tucker,  and  quoted  in  the  history 


4"  The  Afro-American  Group 

of  the  late  Dr.  Booker  T.  Washington.  In  quoting  this 
letter  Dr.  Washington  says:  **It  seems  to  me  to  describe  in  a 
remarkable  way  the  process  and  the  method  by  which  the 
Negro  masses  have  advanced  slowly  but  steadily  before  eman- 
cipation, more  rapidly  but  not  less  steadily  since." 
This  letter  is,  in  part,  as  follows: 

"There  is  often  a  progress  in  human  affairs  which  may, 
indeed,  be  retarded,  but  which  nothing  can  arrest.  Moving 
with  slow  and  silent  steps,  it  is  marked  only  by  comparing 
distant  periods.  The  causes  which  produce  it  are  either  so 
minute  as  to  be  invisible,  or,  if  perceived,  are  too  numerous 
and  complicated  to  be  subject  to  human  control.  Of  such 
a  sort  is  the  advancement  of  knowledge  among  the  Negroes 
of  this  country.  It  is  so  striking  as  to  be  obvious  to  a  man 
of  most  ordinary  observation.  Every  year  adds  to  the  num- 
ber of  those  who  can  read  and  write ;  and  he  who  has  made 
any  proficiency  in  letters  becomes  a  little  centre  of  instruction 
to  others. 

"This  increase  of  knowledge  is  the  principal  agency  in 

evolving  the  spirit  we  have  to  fear In  our  infant 

country,  where  population  and  wealth  increase  with  unex- 
ampled rapidity,  the  progress  of  liberal  knowledge  is  propor- 
tionately great.  In  this  vast  march  of  the  mind  the  blacks 
who  are  far  behind  us,  may  be  supposed  to  advance  at  a  pace 
equal  to  our  own ;  but,  sir,  the  fact  is  they  are  likely  to  ad- 
vance faster,  the  growth  and  multiplication  of  our  towns 
tend  in  a  thousand  ways  to  enlighten  and  inform  them.  The 
very  nature  of  our  government,  which  leads  us  to  recur  per- 
petually to  the  discussion  of  natural  rights,  favors  specula- 
tion and  inquiry.  By  way  of  marking  the  prodigious  change 
which  a  few  years  had  made  among  this  class  of  men,  compare 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  41 

the  late  conspiracy  with  the  revolt  under  Lord  Dunmore.  In 
one  case  a  few  solitary  individuals  flocked  to  that  standard 
under  which  they  were  sure  to  find  protection ;  in  the  other, 
they,  in  a  body,  of  their  own  accord,  combined  a  plan  for 
asserting  their  claims  and  rest  their  safety  on  success  alone. 
The  difference  is,  then  they  sought  freedom  merely  as  a 
good ;  now  they  also  claim  it  as  a  right.  This  comparison 
speaks  better  than  volumes  for  the  change  I  insist  on. 

"But  sir,  this  change  is  progressive.  A  little  while  ago 
their  minds  were  enveloped  in  darkest  ignorance;  now  the 
dawn  of  knowledge  is  faintly  perceived  and  warns  us  of  ap- 
proaching day.  Of  the  multitude  of  causes  which  tend  to 
enlighten  the  blacks  I  know  not  one  whose  operation  we  can 
materially  check.  Here,  then,  is  the  true  picture  of  our  sit- 
uation. Nor  can  we  make  it  less  hideous  by  shutting  our 
eyes  to  it.  These,  our  hewers  of  wood  and  drawers  of  water, 
possess  the  physical  power  to  do  us  mischief,  and  are  invited 
to  do  it  by  motives  which  self-love  dictates  and  reason  justi- 
fies. Our  sole  security  consists  then,  in  their  ignorance  of 
this  power  and  of  their  means  of  using  it — a  security  which 
we  have  lately  found  was  not  to  be  relied  upon,  and  which, 
small  as  it  now  is,  everv  dav  diminishes." 


CHAPTER  III. 

ORGANIZED   WORK  IN   THE   NORTH 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  scarcely  had  the  American 
Church  been  organized,  following  the  close  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary War,  when  it  began  immediately  to  interpret  the 
Catholicity  of  the  Church  by  creating  Negro  congregations, 
and  ordaining  black  men  to  its  Priesthood;  when  by  the 
ordination  of  a  Negro  priest,  and  creation  of  a  Negro  parish, 
it  declared  racial  organizations  to  be  consistent  with  the 
Catholicity  of  the  Church.  Within  nine  years  from  the 
consecration  of  our  first  Presiding  Bishop,  Bishop  White,  in 
Lambeth  Chapel,  England,  in  1787,  our  first  colored  Epis- 
copal parish,  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia  w^as  in  successful 
operation  with  a  membership  of  over  four  hundred  persons, 
and  a  man  of  the  black  race  had  been  ordained  by  Bishop 
White  as  the  pastor  of  this  congregation. 

In  that  early  day  through  exceptional  and  remarkable 
characters  of  African  descent,  the  shadows  of  a  series  of 
brilliant  events  were  given  forth  to  the  world.  Necessarily, 
such  characters  were  few;  but,  then,  it  must  be  remembered 
that  with  all  of  the  advantages  of  the  white  race  there  was 
not  a  multitude  of  such  exceptional  characters  among  them. 
With  the  serious  disadvantages  and  handicaps  of  the  mass 
of  the  black  race  in  America,  it  is,  indeed,  remarkable  that 
there  should  arise  such  conspicuous  and  able  characters 
among  them. 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  43 

In  all  candor,  however,  it  should  be  noted  that  the  dis- 
advantages and  handicaps  at  this  particular  epoch  in  the  life 
of  the  black  man  were  not  so  much  from  without  as  from 
within ;  for,  in  a  sense,  his  exterior  disadvantages  were  noth- 
ing in  comparison  with  those  which  fell  upon  him  in  later 
years.  At  that  time,  so  early  from  barbarism,  the  greatest 
of  all  handicaps,  it  is  remarkable  indeed  that  any  notable 
examples  of  intuitive  adaptability  should  reflect  themselves. 
The  very  fact  that  they  did  would  seem  to  indicate  that  out- 
ward disadvantages,  after  all,  were  not  very  formidable. 

Just  about  the  time  we  are  considering,  Benjamin  Banne- 
ker,  of  Maryland,  of  the  African  race,  had  already  become  a 
famous  and  noted  character  because  of  his  scientific  know- 
ledge, issuing  in  the  stated  publication  of  an  almanac  which 
was  reckoned  as  an  authority,  throughout  the  country.  The 
distinguished  Virginian,  Thomas  Jefferson,  at  that  time 
Secretary  of  State,  in  expressing  his  thanks  and  appreciation 
for  a  copy  of  the  above  mentioned  publication,  wrote  Ban- 
neker  as  follows: 

Sir — I  thank  you  sincerely  for  your  letter  and 
the  almanac  it  contained.  Nobody  wishes  more 
than  I  do  to  see  such  proofs  as  you  exhibit  that  Na- 
ture has  given  to  our  black  brethren  talents  equal  to 
those  of  the  other  colors  of  men,  and  that  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  want  of  them  is  owing  merely  to 
the  degraded  condition  of  their  existence  both  in 
Africa  and  America." 

A  still  more  remarkable  example  is  that  of  Phyllis 
Wheatley,  of  Boston,  Mass.  Phyllis  was  born  in  Africa, 
and,  when  only  a  girl  of  six  or  seven  years  old,  fresh  from 
paganism,  with  other  African  slaves  she  was  brought  to  Bos- 


44  The  Afro-American  Group 

ton  and  sold  into  slavery.  She  was  purchased  in  the  Boston 
"slave  market"  by  a  cultivated  gentleman,  a  Mr.  Wheatley, 
and  adopted  into  his  family.  All  her  schooling  and  educa- 
tion were  received  within  the  atmosphere  of  that  cultivated 
home.  She  became  one  of  America's  earliest  poets.  Her 
volume  was  dedicated  to  the  Right  Honorable,  the  Countess 
of  Hunington,  July  12,  1773.  Without  any  assistance  from 
school  education,  and  by  only  what  she  was  taught  in  the 
family,  she,  in  sixteen  month's  time  from  her  arrival,  attain- 
ed the  English  language,  to  which  she  was  an  utter  stranger 
before,  to  such  a  degree,  as  to  read  the  most  difficult  parts 
of  the  Sacred  Writings,  to  the  great  astonishment  of  all  who 
heard  her.  The  publisher  of  Miss  Wheatley's  poems,  in  a 
note  in  the  book,  says: 

"As  it  has  been  repeatedly  suggested  to  the  pub- 
lisher by  persons  who  have  seen  the  manuscript, 
that  numbers  would  be  ready  to  suspect  they  were 
not  really  the  writings  of  Phyllis,  he  has  procured 
the  following  attestation  from  the  most  respectable 
characters  in  Boston,  that  none  might  have  the 
least  ground  for  disputing  their  origin." 

Then  follow  the  names  of  eighteen  of  Massachusett's 
most  distinguished  citizens,  among  whom  are  His  Excellen- 
cy, Thomas  Hutchinson,  Governor  of  the  Commonwealth; 
the  Hon.  Andrew  Oliver,  Lieutenant  Governor;  and  "John 
Hancock,"  all  of  whom  subscribed  to  the  following  state- 
ment: 

"We,  whose  names  are  underwritten  do  assure 
the  world  that  the  poems  specified  in  the  following 
pages,  were  (as  we  verily  believe)  written  by  Phyl- 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  45 

lis,  a  young  Negro  girl,  who  was  but  a  few  years 
since  brought  an  uncultivated  barbarian  from  Afri- 
ca, and  has  ever  since  been,  and  now  is,  under  the 
disadvantage  of  serving  as  a  slave  in  a  family  of 
this  town.  She  has  been  examined  by  some  of  the 
best  judges,  and  is  thought  qualified  to  write  them." 

General  George  Washington,  our  first  President,  and 
father  of  the  country,  under  date  of  February  2,  1776,  ac- 
knowledging the  receipt  of  a  *'poem"  dedicated  to  him, 
wrote  Miss  Wheatley  as  follows: 

"I  thank  you  most  sincerely  for  your  polite 
notice  of  me  in  the  elegant  lines  you  inclosed,  and, 
however  undeserving  I  may  be  of  such  enconium 
and  panygeric,  the  style  and  manner  exhibit  a  strik- 
ing proof  of  your  poetical  talents,  and  as  a  tribute 
justly  due  to  you,  I  would  have  published  the  poem 
had  I  not  been  apprehensive  that,  whilst  I  only 
meant  to  give  to  the  world  this  new  instance  of 
your  genius  I  might  have  incurred  the  imputa- 
tion of  vanity." 

In  relating  these  kind  and  generous  expressions  of  Wash- 
ington and  Jefferson,  the  author  is  not  unmindful  of  the 
fact  that  both  of  them  were  Churchmen  and  Virginians. 
And  the  author  considers  it  one  of  the  pleasures  of  his  life 
in  this  place  to  bear  witness  to  the  fact  that  the  same  class 
of  Virginians  represented  by  Washington  and  Jeft'erson, 
have,  invariably,  sustained  in  their  attitude  toward  the  black 
man  the  same  noble  courtesy  and  generosity  of  spirit.  Since 
six  years  of  age  the  author  has  continuously  and  most  inti- 
mately lived  in  the  life  of  the  same  class  of  white  men,  and 


46  The  Afro-American  Group 

every  remembrance  of  the  graciousness  and   helpfulness  of 
such  contact  is  like  sweet  fragrance  which  fills  the  air. 

AN   ELECTIVE   AFFINITY 

As  a  gradual  emancipation  commenced  in  the  Northern 
States,  following  the  Revolutionary  War,  the  select  class  of 
Negroes  who  obtained  their  freedom  set  about  to  organize 
for  their  moral  welfare  and  the  preservation  of  the  peculiar 
impress  which  differentiated- them  from  the  great  mass  of 
uncultivated  people  of  African  descent.  Soon  there  were 
centers  of  "free  African  societies"  in  Boston,  Newport,  New 
York,  Philadelphia  and  elsewhere.  Invariablly,  the  men  of 
such  societies  sought  as  close  alliance  as  possible  with  the 
men  of  quality  of  the  white  race  with  whom  they  had  been 
associated  before  freedom  came  to  them.  Eventually  it  was 
because  of  this  bond  that  a  group  of  people  of  African  de- 
scent, worshipping  with  the  white  Methodists,  when  humilia- 
ted and  treated  amiss,  turned  to  the  Episcopal  Church  as  a 
city  of  refuge.  And  thus  did  the  first  colored  Episcopal  con- 
gregation in  this  country  and  the  first  black  man  ordained 
to  her  ministry  come  into  being. 

St.  Thomas  African  Church,  Philadelphia  being  the  very 
first  organization  of  its  kind  in  this  country  and  exerting  a 
wonderful  influence  on  the  subsequent  religious  life  of  the 
race,  it  is  important  that  the  details  leading  to  its  final  es- 
tablishment be  given  at  some  length. 

The  distinguished  black  man,  Richard  Allen,  who  became 
the  founder  and  first  Bishop  of  the  African  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  in  a  manuscript  left  by  him,  and  written 
for  him  by  his  son,  very  minutely  tells  of  the  circumstances 
which  finally  led  to  "the  parting  of  the  ways,"  and  the  even- 
tuation  of  "the  free  African  society"  into  an  Episcopal 
Church. 

The  "manuscript"  from  which  we  quote  was  written  a 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  47 

number  of  years  after  the  establishment  of  St.  Thomas 
Church,  and,  thus  it  is  that  throughout  Allen  refers  to 
**Rev."  Absalom  Jones.  At  the  time  of  the  early  events 
narrated,  Jones,  of  course,  had  not  been  ordained.  But  at 
the  time  of  the  writing  of  the  manuscript  he  had  long  been 
in  Orders.    A  portion  of  the  manuscript  reads  as  follows : 

THE  ALLEN   MANUSCRIPT 

"I  saw  the  necessity  of  erecting  a  place  of  worship  for 
the  colored  people  .  I  proposed  it  to  the  most  respectable 
people  of  color  in  the  city,  but  here  I  met  with  opposition. 
I  had  but  three  colored  brethren  who  united  with  me  in 
erecting  a  place  of  worship — the  Rev.  Absalom  Jones,  Wil- 
liam White  and  Darius  Jinnings.  These  united  with  me  as 
soon  as  it  became  public  and  known  by  the  elder  who  was 
stationed  in  the  city.  The  Rev.  C.  B.  opposed  the  plan,  and 
would  not  submit  to  any  argument  we  might  raise;  but  he 
was  shortly  removed  from  the  charge.  The  Rev.  Mr.  W. 
took  the  charge  and  the  Rev.  L.  G. — Mr.  W.,  was  much 
opposed  to  an  African  Church,  and  used  very  degrading  and 
insulting  language  to  us  to  try  to  prevent  us  from  going  on. 
We  all  belonged  to  St.  George's  Church — Rev.  Absalom 
Jones,  William  White  and  Darius  Jinnings.  We  felt  our- 
selves much  cramped;  but  my  dear  Lord  was  with  us,  and 
we  believed  that  if  it  was  His  will,  the  work  would  go  on, 
and  that  we  would  be  able  to  succeed  in  building  the  house 
of  the  Lord.  We  established  prayer  meetings  and  meetings 
of  exhortation,  and  the  Lord  blessed  our  endeavors  and  many 
souls  were  awakened;  but  the  elder  soon  forbid  us  holding 
any  such  meetings.  We  viewed  the  forlorn  state  of  our 
colored  brethren  and  saw  that  they  were  destitute  of  a  place 
of  worship.  They  were  considered  as  a  nuisance.  A  number 
of  us  usually  sat  on  seats  placed  around  the  wall  and  on 
Sabbath  morning  we  went  to  church,  and  the  sexton  stood 


48  The  Afro-American  Group 

at  the  door  and  told  us  to  go  in  the  gallery.  He  told  us  to 
go  and  we  would  see  where  to  sit.  We  expected  to  take  the 
seats  over  the  ones  we  formerly  occupied  below,  not  knowing 
any  better.  We  took  those  seats.  Meeting  had  begun  and 
they  were  nearly  done  singing,  and  just  as  we  got  to  the 
seats  the  elder  said:  "Let  us  pray."  We  had  not  been  long 
on  our  knees  before  I  heard  considerable  scuffling  and  loud 
talking.     I  raised  my  head  up  and  saw  one  of  the  trustees, 

H M having  hold   of   the   Rev.   Absalom  Jones 

pulling  him  off  his  knees  and  saying,  ''You  must  get  up; 
you  must  not  kneel  here."  Mr.  Jones  replied,  "Wait  until 
prayer  is  over."  Mr.  H.  M.  said,  "No,  you  must  get  up 
now,  or  I  will  call  for  aid  and  force  you  away."  Mr.  Jones 
said,  "Wait  until  prayer  is  over,  and  I  will  get  up  and 
trouble  you  no  more."    With  that  he  beckoned  to  one  of  the 

other  trustees,  Mr.  L S to  come  to  his  assistance. 

He  came  and  w^ent  to  William  White  to  pull  him  up.  By 
this  time  prayer  was  over,  and  we  all  went  out  of  the 
church  in  a  body  and  they  were  no  more  plauged  by  us  in 

the  church Notwithstanding  we  had  subscribed 

largely  towards  furnishing  St.  George's  Church,  in  building 
the  gallery,  and  laying  new  floors;  and  just  as  the  house  was 
made  comfortable,  we  were  turned  out  from  enjoying  the 
comforts  of  worshipping  therein. 

"We  then  hired  a  store-room  and  held  worship  by  our- 
selves. Here  we  were  pursued  w^ith  threats  of  being  disown- 
ed and  read  out  of  meeting,  if  we  did  contrive  to  worship  in 
the  place  we  had  hired ;  but  we  believed  that  the  Lord  would 
be  our  friend.  We  got  subscription  papers  out  to  raise 
money  to  build  the  house  of  the  Lord.  By  this  time  we  had 
waited  on  Dr.  Rush  and  Mr.  Robert  Ralston  and  told  them 
of  our  distressing  situation.  We  considered  it  a  blessing  that 
the  Lord  had  put  it  into  our  hearts  to  wait  upon  these  gen- 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  49 

tlemen.  They  pitied  our  situation  and  subscribed  largely 
towards  the  Church,  and  were  very  friendly  towards  us  and 
advised  us  how  to  go  on.  We  appointed  Mr.  Ralston  our 
treasurer.  Dr.  Rush  did  much  for  us  in  public  by  his  in- 
fluence. I  hope  the  names  of  Dr.  Benjamin  Rush  and  Mr. 
Ralston  will  never  be  forgotten  among  us.  They  w^ere  the 
first  gentlemen  who  espoused  the  cause  of  the  oppressed, 
and  aided  us  in  building  the  house  of  the  Lord  for  the  poor 
Africans  to  worship  in.  Here  w^as  the  beginning  and  rise 
of  the  first  African  Church  in  America.     But  the  elder  of 

the  Methodist  Church  still  pursued  us.     Mr.  I M 

called  upon  us  and  told  us  that  if  we  did  not  erase  our  names 
from  the  subscription  paper  and  give  up  the  paper  we  would 
be  publicly  turnd  out  of  meeting.  We  asked  him  if  we  had 
violated  any  rules  of  discipline  by  so  doing.  He  replied,  "I 
have  the  charge  given  me  by  the  Conference,  and  unless  you 
submit  I  will  read  you  publicly  out  of  meeting."  We  told 
him  that  we  were  willing  to  abide  by  the  discipline  of  the 
Methodist  Church,  'and  if  you  will  show  us  where  we  have 
violated  any  law  of  discipline  of  the  Methodist  Church,  we 
will  submit,  and  if  there  is  no  rule  violated  in  the  discipline, 
we  will  proceed  on.'  He  replied,  'we  will  read  you  out.'  We 
told  him  that  if  he  turned  us  out  contrary  to  the  discipline 
we  should  seek  further  redress.  We  told  him  we  were 
dragged  off  our  knees  in  St.  George's  Church,  and  treated 
worse  than  heathen,  and  we  were  determined  to  seek  out  for 
ourselves,  the  Lord  being  our  helper.  He  told  us  that  we 
wxre  not  Methodists,  and  left  us.  Finding  we  would  go  on 
and  raise  money  to  build  the  church,  he  called  upon  us  again 
and  wished  to  see  us  altogether.  We  met  him.  He  told  us 
that  he  wished  us  well,  and  that  he  was  a  friend  to  us,  and 
used  many  arguments  to  convince  us  that  we  were  wrong  in 
building  a  church.     We  told  him  that  we  had  no  place  of 


50  The  Afro-American  Group 

worship  and  we  did  not  mean  to  go  to  St.  George's  any 
more  as  we  were  treated  so  scandously  in  the  presence  of  all 
the  congregation  present,  'and  if  you  deny  us  your  name,  you 
can  not  seal  up  the  Scriptures  from  us  and  deny  us  a  name 
in  heaven.  We  believe  heaven  is  free  to  all  who  worship  in 
spirit  and  in  truth.'  And  he  said:  'So  50U  are  determined 
to  go  on.'  We  told  him,  'Yes,  God  being  our  helper.'  He 
replied,  'We  will  disown  you  all  from  the  Methodist  con- 
nection.'   We  went  out  with  our  subscription  paper 

and  met  with  great  success.  We  had  no  reason  to  complain 
of  the  liberality  of  the  citizens.. 

"The  first  day  the  Rev.  Absalom  Jones  and  myself  went 
out  we  collected  three  hundred  and  sixty  dollars.  This  was 
the  greatest  day  collection  that  we  met  with.  We  appointed 
a  committee  to  look  out  for  a  lot — the  Rev.  Absalom  Jones, 
William  Gray,  William  Wicher  and  myself.  We  pitched 
upon  a  lot  at  the  corner  of  Lombard  and  Sixth  streets.  They 
authorized  me  to  go  and  agree  for  it.  I  did  accordingly. 
The  lot  belonged  to  Mr.  Mark  Wilcox.  We  entered  into 
articles  of  agreement  for  the  lot.  Afterwards  the  committee 
found  a  lot  on  Fifth  street  in  a  more  commodious  part  of  the 
city  which  we  bought;  and  the  first  lot  they  threw  upon  my 
hands  and  wished  me  to  give  it  up.  I  told  them  they  had 
authorized  me  to  agree  for  the  lot,  and  they  were  all  satisfied 
with  the  agreement  I  had  made,  and  I  thought  that  it  was 
hard  that  they  should  throw  it  upon  my  hands.  I  told  them 
I  would  sooner  keep  it  myself  than  to  forfeit  the  agreement 
I  had  rriade.  And  so  I  did.  We  bore  much  persecution 
from  many  of  the  Methodist  connection,  but  we  have  reason 
to  be  thankful  to  Almighty  God,  who  was  our  deliverer.  The 
day  was  appointed  to  go  and  dig  the  cellar.  I  arose  early 
in  the  morning  and  addressed  the  throne  of  grace,  praying 
that  the  Lord  would  bless  our  endeavors.     Having  by  this 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  51 

time,  two  or  three  teams  of  my  own,  ...  as  I  was  the  first 
proposer  of  the  African  Church,  I  put  the  first  spade  into 
the  ground  to  dig  the  cellar  for  the  same.  This  was  the  first 
African  Church  or  meeting  house  that  was  erected  in  the 
United  States  of  America.  We  intended  it  for  the  African 
preaching  house  or  church;  but  finding  that  the  elder  sta- 
tioned in  the  city  w^as  such  an  opposer  to  our  proceeding  of 
erecting  a  place  of  worship,  though  the  principal  part  of  the 
directors  of  this  church  belonged  to  the  Methodist  connec- 
tion, and  that  he  would  neither  preach  for  us  nor  have  any- 
thing to  do  with  us,  we  held  an  election  to  know  what  reli- 
gious denomination  we  should  unite  with.  At  the  election 
it  was  determined.  There  were  two  in  favor  of  the  Meth- 
odists, the  Rev.  Absalom  Jones  and  myself,  and  a  large  ma- 
jority in  favor  of  the  Church  of  England.  This  majority 
carried.  Notwithstanding  we  had  been  so  violently  perse- 
cuted by  the  elders,  we  were  in  favor  of  being  attached  to 
the  Methodist  connection,  for  I  was  confident  there  was  no 
religious  sect,  or  denomination,  that  would  suit  the  capacity 
of  the  colored  people  as  well  as  the  Methodists,  for  the  plain 
and  simple  Gospel  suits  best  for  any  people,  for  the  unlearned 
can  understand,  and  the  learned  are  sure  to  understand ;  and 
the  reason  that  the  Methodists  are  so  successful  in  the 
awakening  and  conversion  of  the  colored  people,  is  the  plain 
doctrine  and  having  a  good  discipline.  But  in  many  cases 
the  preachers  would  act  to  please  their  own  fancy,  without 
discipline,  until  some  of  them  became  tyrants,  and  more  es- 
pecially to  the  colord  people.  They  would  turn  them  out 
of  society,  giving  them  no  trial,  for  the  smallest  ofFense,  per- 
haps only  hearsay.  They  would  frequently  in  meeting  the 
class  impeach  some  of  the  members  of  whom  they  had  heard 
an  ill-report  and  turn  them  out,  saying  'I  have  heard  thus 
and  thus  of  you,  and  you  are  no  more  a  member  of  society,* 


52  The  Afro-American  Group 

without  witnesses  on  either  side.  This  had  been  frequently 
done,  notwithstanding  that  in  the  first  rise  and  progress  in 
Delaware  State  and  elsewhere,  the  colored  people  were  their 
greatest  support,  for  there  were  but  few  of  us  free.  The 
slaves  would  toil  in  their  little  patches  many  a  night  until 
midnight  to  raise  their  little  truck  to  sell  to  get  something 
to  support  them,  more  than  their  white  masters  gave  them, 
and  we  used  often  to  divide  our  little  support  among  the 
white  preachers  of  the  Gospel.  This  was  once  a  quarter.  It 
was  in  the  time  of  the  Revolutionary  War  between  Great 
Britain  and  the  United  States." 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE    FREE   AFRICAN   SOCIETY 

Following  the  incident  in  St.  George's  Church,  Phila- 
delphia, the  group  of  people  of  African  descent  who  had 
practically  been  ejected  therefrom,  got  together  and  on  the 
12th  day  of  April,  1787,  organized  the  "Free  African  So- 
ciety." Finally  this  society  resolved  itself  into  an  "African 
Church"  and  later  the  African  Church  became  St.  Thomas 
Episcopal  Church.  The  story  of  "The  Free  African  Society" 
is  exceedingly  interesting  for  it  furnishes  us  with  the  records 
and  doings  of  the  first  organized  body  of  people  of  African 
descent  in  this  country. 

How  did  this  first  group  of  emancipated  black  people  set 
about  to  use  their  freedom?  Did  they  set  to  work  to  con- 
serve and  improve  the  morals  of  their  people  and  cultivate 
their  religious  life,  or,  were  they  carried  away  with  an  ex- 
travagant sense  of  their  own  importance?  Because  of  the 
mistreatment  they  had  received  from  one  group  of  white 
persons  did  they  rashly  run  to  the  conclusion  that  all  white 
persons  were  their  enemies,  or,  did  they  wisely  discriminate 
and  carefully  seek  to  ally  themselves  with  the  best  white 
people  of  the  community?  The  records  of  this  venerable 
and  ancient  society  of  black  people  make  unmistakably  clear 
their  profound  solicitude  and  deep  concern  for  the  moral 
advance  and  spiritual  interests  of  the  race  with  whom  they 
were  identified. 

Naturally,  we  ask  the  question,  how  was  it  possible,  at 
that  early  day  for  any  group  of  Negroes  to  become  possessed 


54  The  Afro-Americax  Group 

of  sufficient  general  knowledge  and  education  requisite  for 
launching  even  so  modest  an  institution?  How  was  it  pos- 
sible for  them  to  become  the  pioneers  along  a  line  hitherto 
unexplored  by  any  of  their  kind?  It  will  be  well  for  us  to 
remember  that  from  the  very  earliest  times,  in  America,  as 
few  as  they  may  have  been,  there  was  a  class  of  truly  Chris- 
tian and  sympathetic  white  persons  who  were  unwearied  in 
their  devotion  to  the  welfare  of  the  black  people.  They 
kindly  touched  their  lives  and  freely  imparted  to  them  every 
help  they  could  whereby  both  their  mental  and  moral  con- 
dition would  be  affected  for  good.  When,  therefore,  the 
first  emancipations  took  place  in  Pennsylvania,  the  group  of 
black  people  thus  set  free,  were  ambitious  to  conserve  and 
improve  the  good  things  they  had  already  received.  The 
very  name  "Free  African  Society"  indicated  a  separation 
from  the  other  Africans  who  were  not  free.  This  separation 
was  necessary  and  it  was  for  the  highest  good  of  those  yet 
detained  in  slavery,  as  well  as  for  those  who  had  gained 
their  freedom.  They  would  thus  become  worthy  exemplars 
to  the  black  race  yet  in  bonds.  It  would  beget  hope  on  their 
part.  It  would  strengthen  the  hands  and  hearts  of  the  bene- 
volently disposed  whites  to  do  all  that  was  in  their  power  to 
hasten  the  time  when  the  fetters  would  be  lifted  from  all 
black  slaves,  and  all  would  be  free  men. 

The  people  called  Quakers  and  Episcopalians  were  espec- 
ially interested  in  helping  to  make  "the  Free  African  Socie- 
ty" all  that  it  ought  to  be.  Under  such  circumstances  the 
society  started  out  upon  an  untried  venture  and  they  were 
much  encouraged  and  helped  by  the  reflection  that  they  could 
turn  at  any  moment  for  guidance  and  help,  not  simply  to 
white  friends,  but  to  the  very  best  and  holiest  of  the  white 
race  within   their  midst.     And,   even   at   this   late  day,   the 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  55 

worthy  example  of  our  honored  forbears  in  this  particular 
commends  itself  to  our  most  serious  consideration. 

The  initial  effort  was  in  the  direction  of  a  benevolent 
and  moral  reform  association.  Through  appropriate  com- 
mittees they  concerned  themselves  with  every  phase  of  the 
life  of  the  black  people.  And,  soon,  they  were  in  corrspon- 
dence  with  similar  groups  of  African  people  in  Boston,  New- 
port, R.  I.;  New  York,  and  elsewhere,  and  the  epistles  which 
passed  between  these  several  African  societies  reveal  the  most 
beautiful  moral  and  religious  aspiration.  Anything  like  a 
spirit  of  retaliation  or  a  disposition  to  irritate  the  whites,  was 
foreign  to  such  communications.  In  the  calm  deliberations 
of  this  little  society  of  "free  Africans,"  there  was  a  constantly 
growing  sentiment  removing  them  further  and  further  from 
the  wild  and  noisy  excitement  of  the  Methodists  of  those 
times.  The  Quaker  and  Episcopal  influences  which  had  en- 
droned  them  in  their  early  struggles  were  daily  captivating 
them.  It  is,  indeed,  most  inspiring  to  note  that  African  peo- 
ple just  emerging  from  "the  house  of  bondage"  in  the  very 
first  organization  constituted  by  them  should  enact: 

"No  man  shall  live  with  any  woman  as  man 
and  wife  without  she  is  lawfully  his  wife,  and  his 
certificate  must  be  delivered  to  the  clerk  to  be  put 
on  record." 

Early  in  the  life  of  the  Society  there  appears  a  case  which 
indicated  its  firmness  in  the  matter  of  discipline. 

It  reads  thus:  "Whereas,  Samuel  S.,  one  of  the  members 
of  the  Free  Afircan  Society,  held  in  Philadelphia,  for  the  ben- 
efit of  the  sick,  has  so  shamefully  deviated  from  our  known 
rules,  hath  often,  unnecessarily,  left  his  tender  wife  and 
child,  and  kept  company  with  a  common  woman,  sometimes 


56  The  Afro-American  Group 

quarrelling,  fighting  and  swearing,  for  which  he  hath  been 
long  and  tenderly  treated  wnth,  but  he  has  not  forsaken  his 
shameful  practices,  we  therefore,  disown  the  said  Samuel  S., 
from  being  a  member  of  our  societ}^  till  he  condemns  the 
same  in  life  and  conversation,  w^hich  is  our  desire  for  him." 

Indicative  of  the  society's  desire  to  welcome  the  aid  of 
sympathetic  white  friends  in  the  conduct  of  its  affairs,  in 
the  original  articles  of  its  constitution  is  the  following: 

"We  unanimously  agree  to  choose  Joseph  Clarke 
to  be  our  Clerk  and  Treasurer:  and  whenever 
another  shall  succeed  him,  it  is  always  understood 
that  one  of  the  people  called  Quakers,  belonging 
to  one  of  the  three  monthly  meetings  in  Philadel- 
phia, is  to  be  chosen  to  act  as  Clerk  and  Treasurer 
of  this  useful  institution." 

In  one  of  the  epistles  from  this  society  to  the  Boston 
society  is  this  wise  and  judicious  advice: 

"It  affords  us  matter  of  satisfaction  to  find  that 
you  are  united  with  us  in  laboring  in  the  same  vine- 
yard, we  seriously  hope  to  the  honor  of  God  and  the 

benefit  of  mankind Let  none  be  discouraged 

however  low  their  station  among  men  may  be,  for 
we  find  in  Holy  Writ  that  the  race  is  not  to  the 
swift,  nor  the  battle  to  the  strong;  but  that  one 
who  has  on  the  shield  of  faith  shall  chase  a  thou- 
sand, and  two  put  ten  thousand  to  flight.  Here  is 
encouragement  for  us  of  the  African  race.  The 
Scriptures  declare  that  God  is  no  respector  of  per- 
sons. We  beseech  you,  therefore,  in  much  brotherly 
love,  to  lay  aside  all  superfluity  of  naughtiness,  es- 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  57 

pecially  gaming  and  feasting;  a  shameful  practice, 
that  we,  as  a  people,  are  particularly  guilty  of. 
While  we  are  feasting  and  dancing  many  of  our 
complexion  are  starving  under  cruel  bondage;  and 
it  is  this  practice  of  ours  that  enable  our  enemies  to 
declare  that  we  are  not  fit  for  freedom;  and  at  the 
same  time  this  imprudent  conduct  stops  the  mouths 
of  our  real  friends  who  would  ardently  plead  our 
cause.  Let  us,  threfore,  dear  brethren,  learn  to  be 
wise  by  fearing  the  Lord,  and  show  that  we  have  a 
good  understanding  by  forsaking  our  foolish  prac- 
tices. 

Towards  the  latter  part  of  the  year  1792,  the  Society  re- 
solved itself  into  a  Church  organization,  the  style  of  the 
corporation  being,  "The  Elders  and  Deacons  of  the  African 
Church."  From  that  time  on  the  body  was  chiefly  concerned 
in  arranging  for  the  erection  of  a  church  building.  The 
edifice  was  occupied  for  the  first  time  and  solemnly  dedicated 
on  July  17th,  1794.  The  clergy  of  nearly  every  denomina- 
tion in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  as  well  as  many  of  the  most 
representative  citizens  were  present  at  the  opening  of  "The 
African  Church."  Carved  on  white  marble  in  a  conspicuous 
part  of  the  front  of  the  building  were  these  words:  "The 
people  that  walked  in  darkness  hath  seen  a  great  light" — 
Isaiah  ix  :2. 

The  preacher  upon  the  occasion  took  the  same  words  for 
his  text.  Near  the  close  of  this  most  excellent  discourse  by 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Magaw,  occur  these  words: 

"On  the  right  improvement  of  your  present  ad- 
vantages depends,  perhaps,  the  fate  of  your  brethren 
in  bondage  in  every  part  of  the  world.     Strengthen 


58  The  Afro-American  Group 

the  hands  of  your  friends  everywhere  by  your  pure 
and  unexceptional  conduct.  This  will  be  to  'let 
your  light  shine'  in  favor  of  the  multitudes  yet  cov- 
ered with  darkness.  This  will  be  encouraging  the 
deliverance  of  those  who  are  bound." 


CHAPTER  V. 

ST.   THOMAS  AFRICAX   CHURCH,    PHILADELPHIA 

Thus  far,  "the  African  Church"  was  unconnected  with 
any  of  the  various  religious  bodies.  However,  very  soon 
thereafter,  the  people  ofthe  "African  Church"  determined  to 
unite  themselves  and  their  church  building  with  the  Episco- 
pal Church,  and,  the  official  document  declaring  such  pur- 
pose is  dated  August  12,  1794.  But,  before  doing  so,  they 
specified  three  conditions,  which  were  agreed  to  by  the  au- 
thorities of  the  Episcopal  Church,  viz:  They  should  be  re- 
ceived as  a  body,  already  organized ;  they  should  have  guar- 
anteed to  them  local  independence  and  self-control  of  their 
aftairs,  forever ;  and,  lastly,  that  one  of  their  number  should 
be  licensed  as  their  "Lay  Reader,"  and,  if  found  fit,  ordained 
as  their  minister. 

The  preamble  of  the  historic  document  declaring  their 
purpose  reads  as  follows: 

"Whereas,  a  few  of  our  race  did  in  the  name  and  fear  of 
God,  associate  for  the  purpose  of  advancing  our  friends  in 
a  true  knowledge  of  God,  of  true  religion,  and  the  ways  and 
means  to  restore  our  long  lost  race  to  the  dignity  of  men  and 
of  Christians,"  and,  continues  the  preamble,  "God  in  mercy 
and  wisdom  has  exceeded  our  most  sanguine  wishes,  in  bless- 
ing our  undertaking,  and  has  opened  the  hearts  of  our  whfte 

brethren  to  assist  in  our  undertaking Having  seen  the 

dawn  of  the  Gospel  day,  we  are  zealously  concerned  for  the 
gathering  together  our  race  into  the  sheepfold  of  the  Shep- 
herd and  Bishop  of  our  souls For  all  of  the  above  pur- 


60  The  Afro-Americax  Group 

poses  it  is  needful  that  we  enter  into  and  forthwith  establish 
some  orderly  Christian-like  government  of  former  usage  in 
the  Church  of  Christ;  and,  being  desirous  to  avoid  all  ap- 
pearance of  evil,  by  self-conceitedness,  or  an  intent  to  pro- 
mote or  establish  any  new  human  device  among  us 

Now  be  it  known  to  all  the  world  and  in  all  ages  thereof, 
that  we,  the  founders  and  trustees  of  said  house,  did  on  Tues- 
day, the  12th  day  of  August,  in  the  year  of  Our  Lord  one 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  ninety-four,  resolve  and  decree 
to  resign  and  conform  ourselves  to  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church  of  North  America,  and  we  dedicate  ourselves  to 
God,  imploring  His  protection;  and  our  house  to  the  mem- 
ory of  St.  Thomas,  the  Apostle,  to  be  henceforth  known  and 
called  St.  Thomas  African  Episcopal  Church  of  Philadel- 
phia; to  be  governed  by  us  and  our  successors  as  follows." 

Definite  action  was  taken  upon  the  part  of  the  authorities 
of  the  Episcopal  Church  as  evidenced  from  the  following, 
from  the  official  record : 

"Philadelphia,  September  9,  1794.  At  a  meet- 
ing of  the  Council  of  Advice  and  Standing  Com- 
mittee of  the  Convention  of  the  Protestant  Episco- 
pal Church  in  Pennsylvania,  in  the  Bishop's  House. 
Present,  the  Right  Reverend  Bishop  White  and  a 
quorum  of  the  members.  The  Bishop  laid  before 
the  Council  the  Constitution  ofthe  African  Church 
of  Philadelphia,  a  congregation  of  the  people  of 
color,  who  having  erected  a  building  for  the  public 
worship  of  God,  do  now  in  consequence  of  free  and 
mature  deliberation,  propose  and  request  to  be  asso- 
ciated with  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  the 
United  States ;  and  in  particular  to  commit  all  their 
ecclessiastical  affairs  to  the  rule  and  authoritv  of 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  61 

the  Bishop  and  Church  in  this  State  of  Pennsylva- 
nia. The  Bishop  and  Council  are  pleased  with  the 
application  made  as  above,  and  are  willing  to  accept 
the  terms. 

"Resolved  and  declared,  therefore,  that  as  soon 
as  the  Trustees  or  Deputies  of  the  said  congrega- 
tion, being  duly  authorized,  shall  sign  the  Act  of 
Association  of  the  said  church  in  this  State,  they 
shall  be  entitled  to  all  the  privileges  of  the  other 
congregations  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church. 

"Agreed  that  Dr.  Samuel  Magaw  and  Dr. 
Robert  Blackwell  be  a  committee  to  meet  the  Trus- 
tees or  Deputies  of  the  African  Church,  and  see 
them  ratify  the  Act  of  Association. 

"Extract  from  the  Minutes, 

"Samuel  Magaw, 
"A  member  of  the  Council" 

On  Sunday,  October  12,  1794,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Blackwell 
appeared  in  the  pulpit  of  St.  Thomas  Church  and  formally 
and  fully  announced  the  reception  of  this  congregation  into 
the  communion  of  the  Episcopal  Church. 

Shortly  thereafter  the  congregation,  through  the  Trus- 
tees, sent  in  a  petition,  and  request  for  the  ordination  of  Ab- 
salom Jones  as  their  minister.    A  portion  of  this  petition 
reads  as  follows: 

"With  due  deference  to  your  wisdom,  we  presume  to 
present  to  you  our  well-beloved  brother,,  Absalom  Jones,  a 
man  of  good  report,  of  Godly  conversation  and  zealously 
engaged  in  promoting  religion  and  virtue  among  us  as  a  can- 
didate for  the  above  purpose.  And  in  consideration  of  the 
utility  of  having  such   a  person  clothed   with  authority  to 


62  The  Afro-American  Group 

visit  the  sick,  attend  funerals,  administer  the  ordinances  of 
Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper,  reproving,  exhorting  and 
following  the  wandering  and  careless  to  bring  them  into 
the  sheepfold  of  Christ,  and  in  view  of  the  reverence  and 
respect  in  w^hich  he  is  held  by  the  generality  of  our  color,  and 
of  his  zeal  for  the  prosperity  of  the  Church,  and  his  assiduity 
in  doing  good  for  men ;  we  therefore  humbly  hope  that  his 
want  of  the  literary  qualifications  required  by  the  Church, 
may,  under  our  circumstances,  be  dispensed  with."  Signed 
in  behalf  and  by  appointment  of  the  congregation  of  St. 
Thomas  Church,  Willaim  Gray,  William  White,  Wil- 
liam Gardner,  Henry  Stewart,  Trustees. 

The  above  petition  was  duly  considered  by  the  Bishop  and 
Standing  Committee,  and  action  taken  as  indicated  from  the 
following : 

*'An  address  or  letter  to  the  Bishop  and  clergy  of  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  Philadelphia,  written  in 
very  respectful  and  affectionate  terms,  from  the  trustees  and 
other  representatives  of  the  congregation  of  the  African 
Church,  now  called  St.  Thomas  Church  of  Philadelphia,  was 
laid  before  the  Council,  communicated  through  the  hands  of 
the  Bishop,  representing  among  other  things,  that  it  would 
be  expedient  to  have  among  themselves  a  pious  and  duly 
qualified  man  of  color  to  discharge  the  functions  of  a  minis- 
ter, and  recommending  for  the  said  purpose  Absalom  Jones, 
a  man  of  good  report  and  Godly  conversation.  Whereupon, 
the  Council  being  heartily  disposed  to  favor  the  address  and 
application  as  above,  and  entirely  satisfied  as  far  as  to  them 
doth  appear,  of  the  moral  and  religious  character  of  the  per- 
son recommended,  do  agree  in  opinion  and  respectfully  ad- 
vise that  the  most  regular  mode  of  proceeding  for  the  Bishop 
to  give  his  sanction  and  approbation  to  Absalom  Jones  to 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  63 

officiate  as  a  Reader  of  Divine  Service  etc.,  in  the  said  church, 
and  a  candidate  for  Deacon's  Orders,  till  the  meeting  of  the 
Convention  of  the  Church  in  this  State,  which  will  be  in  the 
month  of  Maj'  next.  The  Seventh  Canon,  ratified  in  Gen- 
eral Convention,  requiring  with  regard  to  the  learning  of 
those  to  be  ordained  that  the  requisition  of  an  acquaintance 
with  Latin  and  Greek  is  onl}'  to  be  dispensed  with  by  two- 
thirds  of  the  Convention  of  the  State  to  which  the  candi- 
date belongs,  and  for  good  causes  moving  thereunto;  the 
recommendation  to  the  Bishop  to  eftect  the  foregoing,  to 
have  the  signature  of  the  names  of  a  majority  of  such  con- 
vention. 

Extract  from  the  book  of  MiiiuteSj 
"Samuel  Magaw, 
"A  member  of  the  Council  and  Secretary" 

The  convention  which  assembled  in  Christ  Church,  Phil- 
adelphia, June,  2,  1795,  acted  favorably  in  the  premises,  as 
the  following  witnesseth : 

"It  was  moved  and  seconded  that  the  know- 
ledge of  the  Greek  and  Latin  languages,  in  the  ex- 
amination for  Holy  Orders  of  Absalom  Jones,  a 
black  man,  belonging  to  the  African  Church  of  St. 
Thomas  in  this  city,  be  dispensed  with  agreeably  to 
the  canon  in  such  cases  made  and  provided.  Re- 
solved that  the  same  be  granted,  provided,  it  is  not 
to  be  understood  to  entitle  the  African  Church  to 
send  a  clergyman  or  deputies  to  the  Convention  or 
to  interfere  with  the  general  government  of  the 
Episcopal  Church,  this  condition  being  made  in  con- 
sideration of  their  peculiar  circumstances  at  present. 
"James  Abercrombie, 

''Secretary" 


t)4  The  Afro-American  Group 

Absalom  Jones  was  ordained  to  the  diaconate  by  Bishop 
White  in  St.  Thomas  Church,  August  6th,  1795.  But,  prior 
to  his  ordination  the  Bishop  first  explained  the  nature  of  the 
"condition"  in  the  dispensing  vote  of  the  Convention;  and 
secondly,  exacted  a  pledge  of  the  Trustees  with  respect  to 
the  support  of  the  man  to  be  ordained. 

Inasmuch  as  the  temporary  "condition"  referred  to  in 
later  years  was  oft  quoted  in  defense  of  the  continued  ex- 
clusion of  St.  Thomas  Church  from  representation  in  the 
Diocesan  Convention,  it  will  not  be  amiss  in  this  place  to 
refer  to  "an  interpretation"  of  that  "condition"  by  the 
"minority"  of  the  committee  of  the  Convention  of  1850, 
appointed  to  consider  the  application  of  St.  Thomas  parish. 

The  majority  of  the  committee  "would  gladly  see  this 
whole  matter  laid  permanently  and  quietly  at  rest  by  a  de- 
cisive and  expressive  vote  of  the  Convention,  where  fifty  years 
of  universal  acquiessence  has  placed  it,"  It  therefore,  of- 
fered the  following  resolution : 

Resolved,  That  it  is  inexpedient  to  repeal  the 
Eighth  Revised  Regulation,  and  that  the  committee 
be  discharged  from  further  consideration  of  the 
subject." 

Happily,  there  was  a  "minority"  on  that  committee,  and 
they  were  not  of  the  same  mind  as  the  majority.  So  the 
"minority"  presented  its  side,  and,  from  their  most  inspiring 
report  the  following  is  taken: 

The  undersigned,  while  granting  the  Trustees 

of  St.  Thomas  Church  did  agree  to  the  restrictions  referred 
to,  can  not  see  why  such  assent  should  prevent  the  present 
authorities  of  that  church  from  seeking  a  removal  of  a  pro- 
vision which  the  congregation  have  found  by  experience  to 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  65 

be  burdensome  and  injurious  to  their  interests.  The  said 
restriction  was  imposed  and  agreed  to,  let  it  be  remembered, 
not  according  to  the  records  cited  at  the  time  of  receiving 
the  Church  of  St.  Thomas  into  the  fellowship  with  the 
Church  in  the  diocese,  but  nearly  a  year  afterwards,  when 
the  question  of  the  dispensation  of  certain  literary  qualifica- 
tions in  the  person  selected  for  their  minister  came  before 
the  Convention,  'this  condition  being  made  in  consideration 
of  their  peculiar  circumstances  at  present.' 

"The  restriction  and  the  agreement  to  it  are,  therefore, 
in  the  opinion  of  the  undersigned,  not  to  be  viewed  in  the 
light  of  an  original  compact  contemporaneous  with  the  ex- 
istence of  the  Church  of  St.  Thomas  as  a  part  of  the  Church 
in  the  diocese.  The  agreement  they  yielded  to,  the  restriction, 
in  their  peculiar  exigency,  by  no  means  interferes  with  the 
right  of  the  congregation  to  petition  now  for  a  repeal  of 
the  prohibition  which  their  present  'pecular  circumstances' 
may  render  highly  oppressive  and  detrimental  to  their  pros- 
perity. 

"But  what  were  the  peculiar  circumstances  to  which  the 
restriction  passed  in  1795  refers?  The  words  'at  present' 
ought  in  charity,  to  be  strictly  limited.  The  Reverend  Ab- 
salom Jones,  the  first  minister  of  St.  Thomas  Church, 
though  very  deficient  in  literary  qualifications  for  the  minis- 
try, was  a  'man  of  good  report  and  Godly  conversation.'  He 
was  held  in  great  reverence  and  esteem  by  the  colored  people 
of  our  city.  Zealous  for  the  prosperity  of  the  Church,  and 
unwearied  in  doing  good,  he  was  especially  beloved  in  con- 
sequence of  his  devotion  to  the  sick  and  dying  at  the  time 
of  the  prevalence  of  that  awful  scourge,  the  yellow  fever. 
Administering  to  the  bodily  as  well  as  spiritual  wants  of 
many  poor  sufferers,  and  soothing  the  last  moments  of  many 
departing  souls  among  his  people,  he  became  greatly  endeared 


66  The  Afro-American  Group 

to  the  colored  race.  Hence,  when  they  formed  a  congrega- 
tion in  order  that  the\'  might  worship  God  according  to  the 
doctrine  and  discipline  of  the  Church  of  their  choice,  they 
fixed  their  hearts  upon  having  their  kind  friend  and  helper 
for  their  minister. 

"He  who  had  already  won  his  way  to  their  hearts  by 
labors  and  sacrifices  of  Christian  love  that  no  one  can  hear 
of  without  emotion,  must  be  the  shepherd  of  their  souls  in 
Christ  Jesus.  So  that  they  would  succeed  in  this,  their  darling 
wish,  they  were  content  to  submit  to  inconvenience  and  to 
loss;  for  him  their  friend  and  brother,  bound  so  closely  to 
their  hearts  by  the  sympathy  of  past  afflictions,  they  were 
ready  to  be  placed  for  the  time  being  in  a  position  of  infer- 
iority. They  were  fully  sensible  that  he  did  not  possess  the 
literary  qualifications  requisite  for  the  ministry,  but  they 
knew  and  loved  his  self-sacrificing  spirit,  and  consistently 
relgious  life.  When,  therefore,  the  great  difficulty  in  the 
way  of  his  ordination  was  removed  by  the  dispensing  vote  of 
the  Convention,  the  condition  on  which,  in  this  case,  the  dis- 
pensation was  agreed  to,  the  congregation  of  St.  Thomas  had 
succeeded  in  their  great  desire.  In  their  feebleness  they  sur- 
rendered to  the  far  stronger  power,  the  right  which  the 
Church  had  already  given  them,  in  order  that  their  little 
flock  might  be  watched  and  ministered  to  by  a  shepherd 
whom  they  loved.  The  undersigned  earnestly  submit  wheth- 
er, after  the  expiration  of  so  many  years,  advantage  should 
be  taken  of  the  concession  which  the  petitioners  yielded  in 
their  then  peculiar  exigency?  More  than  a  half  century  has 
passed  away  since  the  adoption  of  the  restriction,  which,  they 
now  respectfully  ask  may  be  removed.  Their  present  pastor, 
has,  it  is  believed,  far  superior  literary  qualifications  to  the 
Rev.  Absalom  Jones,  having  passed  a  very  creditable  exami- 
nation for  the  diaconate  and  priesthood  before  the  Rt.  Rev- 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  67 

erend  Bishop  Onderdonk  of  this  city. 

*'The  very  wording  of  the  restriction  referred  to,  viewed 
in  connection  with  the  facts  above  stated,  shows  that  both 
parties,  the  Convention  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  Trustees  of 
St.  Thomas  Church  on  the  other,  thought  of  it  only  as  a 
temporary  proviso,  and  that  it  would  be  rescinded  when  the 
'peculiar  circumstances'  spoken  of  should  cease.  It  is  be- 
lieved by  the  undersigned  that  the  'peculiar  circumstances' 
of  the  church  of  the  petitioners  at  that  time  have  in  a  great 
measure  changed ;  that  special  peculiarity  aimed  at  in  the 
restriction  has  ceased,  from  the  fact  above  stated,  with  re- 
gard to  their  present  minister  of  the  parish The  under- 
signed submit  that  the  Eighth  Revised  Regulation  be  rescind- 
ed on  principle.  No  test  of  admission  should  be  adopted  here 
which  is  at  variance  with  the  precepts  of  our  Redeemer,  and 
with  the  practice  of  the  Church  in  the  Apostolic  times — and 
the  undersigned  would  ask  whether  the  said  regulation  be 

not  inconsistent  with  both? It  may  well  be  asked  if  it 

be  consistent  with  the  declaration  of  the  great  Apostle  to  the 
Gentiles,  *if  meat  make  my  brother  to  offend,  I  will  eat  no 
flesh  while  the  world  standeth,  lest  I  make  my  brother  to 
offend,'  thus  to  wound  the  feelings  and  to  interfere  with  the 
peace  and  prosperity  of  a  company  of  brethren.  They  can 
not  be  expected  long  to  reconcile  the  inconsistency  of  their 
pastor  being  fit  to  preach  the  word  of  God  and  to  administer 
His  Holy  Sacraments  and  yet  incapable  of  having  any  part 
in  the  Councils  of  the  Church.  Can  we  reasonably  look  for 
their  advancement  and  improvement  in  knowledge  and  virtue 
while  we  continue  to  give  ground  for  attacks  upon  their  posi- 
tion, and  thus  help  to  lessen  their  self-respect?  It  seems  also 
to  the  undersigned,  well  worthy  of  consideration,  whether 
the  repeal  of  the  Eighth  Revised  Regulation  would  not  tend 
to  produce  peace  in  our  own  Convention?     It  is  believed 


68  The  Afro-American  Group 

that  many  of  the  members  of  this  body  are  conscientiously 
opposed  to  it.  It  is  an  offence  to  them,  and  they  would  re- 
joice to  see  it  rescinded." 

St.  Thomas  did  not  win  its  fight  at  that  time.  The  vote 
of  the  clergy  was  44  to  42.  But  the  controversy  went  on, 
and  in  the  Convention  of  1862  or  1863,  the  regulation  was 
rescinded  and  St.  Thomas  Church  admitted  into  union  with 
the  Convention.  The  two  clergymen  on  the  minority  side 
championing  the  cause  of  our  group  were  the  Rev.  Messrs. 
Henry  E.  Montgomery  and  G.  Emlen  Hare. 

The  same  year  of  the  ordination  of  Absalom  Jones,  1795, 
the  names  of  persons  recorded  as  members  of  St.  Thomas 
aggregate  427.  The  first  election  of  vestrymen  w^as  held  in 
the  church,  March  28,  1796,  and  the  following  persons  were 
chosen  as  the  very  first  church  officers  of  any  congregation 
of  persons  of  African  descent  in  the  United  States:  John 
Exeter,  William  Gray,  wardens;  William  Coleman,  secre- 
tary; John  Emory,  clerk  of  the  church;  Charles  Bunkan, 
Ishmael  Robins,  Charles  Golding,  William  Colston,  James 
Dexter,  Peter  Mercer,  Alexander  James,  Henry  Stewart, 
Samuel  Jackson,  Robert  Turner,  Joseph  Williams,  William 
Thomas,  Rutland  Moore,  James  Forten,  Kent  Burry,  Jacob 
Gibbs,  John  Church. 

In  1804  the  vestry  established  a  day  school  for  the  in- 
struction of  the  youth.  Each  member  of  the  Educational 
Society  thereby  called  into  existence  was  required  to  contri- 
bute an  annual  sum  of  one  dollar.  The  board  of  trustees 
continued  to  carry  on  the  school  up  to  the  year  1816;  beyond 
which  time  no  minute  of  the  proceedings  appear.  A  fact 
worthy  of  note  in  connection  with  the  school  is  the  expense 
of  instructing  ten  male  scholars  was  provided  out  of  trust 
funds  coming  through  Rev.  Dr.  Bray,  the  English  commis- 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  69 

ssiry.  Rev.  Mr.  Douglass  says  with  respect  to  this  school, 
"It  appears  that  the  vestry  finally  gave  up  the  control  of  the 
school  and  placed  it  in  the  hands  of  Solomon  Clarkson  (one 
of  its  members)  who  also  for  a  considerable  number  of  years 
afterwards,  was  paid  from  the  same  charity  for  the  tuition 
of  the  aforesaid  number  of  scholars.  Besides,  there  was  a 
female  school  taught  by  Madam  Hand  in  the  Northern  Li- 
berties, supported  from  the  same  source." 

Watson  s  Annals,  2nd  volume,  page  263,  ed.  of  1854,  has 
this  interesting  note  concerning  the  above  mentioned  charity: 
"This  ancient  charity  originated  with  the  Rev.  Dr.  Bray, 
American  missionary,  the  Bishop  of  London  and  Mr.  D'- 
Alone,  secretary  to  King  William.  In  1774  the  ground 
rents  of  a  large  lot  in  this  city  were  set  apart  for  the  payment 
of  the  expenses  of  two  schools  for  blacks,  one  for  each  sex, 
to  be  educated  gratuitously.  'The  Associates'  in  England 
are  perpetual;  and  from  their  appointments,  three  of  our 
citizens.  Churchmen,  constantly  serve  the  schools  as  direc- 
tors and  governors.  Those  lately  in  service  were  Wm.  Mere- 
dith, Thos.  Hale  and  James  S.  Smith,  Esquires." 

Says  the  author  of  the  Annals  of  St.  Thomas:  "For  the 
last  fifteen  years,  at  least,  this  charity  has  been  turned  in 
some  other  direction.  It  has  been  ascertained  that  ever 
since  the  suspension  of  the  school  here,  the  net  sum  of  nine 
hundred  dollars,  arising  from  said  ground  rents,  has  been 
forwarded  to  London  annually.  We  have  been  in  communi- 
cation with  'The  Associates'  in  England,  through  their  sec- 
retary respecting  the  ground  taken  for  suspending  said 
schools,  and  have  recently  received  in  replication  a  polite 
note,  from  which  is  taken  the  following  extract:  'The  trust 
to  which  you  allude  is  for  the  support  of  schools  in  British 
America.  The  Associates  have  always  been  advised  that 
the  term  'British  America'  is  tobe  construed  as  comprising 


70  The  Afro-American  Group 

the  territory  now  known  by  that  name,  and  not  the  territory 
which  was  so  considered  prior  to  the  peace  of  1783,  and  that 
it  is  their  duty  to  apply  the  trust  accordingly."  ' 

In  1809,  through  a  legacy  left  by  Wm.  Bradford,  Esq., 
in  the  hands  of  Bishop  White  and  Dr.  Benjamin  Rush,  St. 
Thomas  Church  became  the  possessor  of  a  "parsonage,"  sit- 
uated in  Powell  street,  between  Fifth  and  Sixth  streets  and 
Pine  and  Spruce  streets. 

The  people  of  St.  Thomas  were  active  leaders  in  the 
general  improvement  of  the  people  of  African  descent  in  that 
early  day.  One  such  enterprise  was  "The  African  Society 
for  the  Suppression  of  Vice  and  Immorality." 

A  number  of  them  petitioned  Chief  Justice  Tilghman 
for  his  approbation,  and  having  secured  the  same,  they  pro- 
cured other  indorsements  from  some  of  the  most  conspicuous 
characters  in  America  at  that  time.  The  petition  to  Chief 
Justice  Tilghman  reads  as  follow^s: 

"A  number  of  the  free  people  of  color  have  asso- 
ciated themselves  in  a  society  by  the  name,  title  and 
description  of  the  African  Society  for  the  Suppres- 
sion of  Vice  and  Immorality  among  the  people  of 
our  own  race.  They  have  for  a  long  time  viewed 
with  painful  anxiety  the  multiplied  evils  that  have 
occurred  and  do  daily  occur,  for  the  want  of  such 
advice  and  instruction  as  they  feel  desirous  of  giv- 
ing, by  visiting  some  of  the  more  dissipated  parts  of 
the  city,  and  suburbs,  on  proper  occasions,  and 
using  such  persuasive  measures  as  may  be  best  cal- 
culated to  produce  reformation  of  manners  among 
them.  They,  therefore,  solicit  your  Honor's  ap- 
probation and  concurrence  in  behalf  of  the  society." 
"John  Trusty,  Chairman' 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  71 

The  Chief  Justice  in  his  indorsement  said:  "I  have  read 
the  articles  of  the  African  Association  and  approve  of  them. 
The  object  is  highly  commendable,  and  there  is  reason  to 
hope  that  the  association  may  produce  very  beneficial  effects." 

Benjamin  Franklin  said:  "I  have  also  read  the  articles 
of  the  African  Association,  and  heartily  concur  with  the 
Chief  Justice  in  the  opinion  above  expressed." 

Jacob  Rush  said:  "Every  rational  plan  to  reform  the 
people  of  color  will  always  have  my  approbation.  The  effort 
now  proposed  to  be  made,  by  means  of  religious  instruction 
and  conversation,  at  seasonable  time,  has,  therefore,  my  cor- 
dial w^ishes  for  its  success." 

ABSALOM    JONES 

With  respect  to  Absalom  Jones,  the  first  black  man 
raised  to  the  dignity  of  a  priest  (he  was  priested  by  Bishop 
White  in  1804),  the  Rev.  William  Douglass,  a  successor 
says : 

"He  was  born  a  slave;  his  young  ideas,  therefore,  were 
never  taught  how  to  shoot  forth  their  rays  of  intellectual 
light  and  beauty.  He  had  arrived  at  manhood  before  he  was 
initiated  into  the  first  branches  of  a  common  school  educa- 
tion. He  became  somewhat  proficient  in  these  by  dint  of 
self-application,  during  intervals  from  his  secular  labors.  By 
industry,  frugalit}^  and  economy  previous  to  his  entering  the 
ministry,  he  had  accumulated  some  means  which  he  invested 
in  real  estate  .  He  w^as  the  owner  of  several  neat  dwellings, 
the  value  of  which  we  have  not  ascertained.  A  day  school 
was  taught  by  him  while  he  pursued  a  course  of  preparation 
for  the  ministry,  and  also  for  sometime  after  he  entered  upon 
its  duties  and  responsibilities.  When  he  took  charge  of  the 
church  he  was  in  the  49th  year  of  his  age." 

The  following  narrative  is  from  the  original  manuscript 
written  bv  himself : 


72  The  Afro-American  Group 

"I,  Absalom  Jones,  was  born  in  Sussex,  Del.,  on  the  6th 
of  November,  1746.  I  was  small  when  my  master  took  me 
from  the  field  to  wait  and  attend  on  him  in  the  house;  and 
being  very  fond  of  learning,  I  was  careful  to  save  the  pen- 
nies that  were  given  to  me  by  the  ladies  and  gentlemen  from 
time  to  time.  I  soon  bought  myself  a  primer,  and  begged  to 
be  taught  by  anybody  that  I  found  able  and  willing  to  give 
me  the  least  instruction.  Soon  after  this,  I  was  able  to  pur- 
chase a  spelling  book;  for  as  my  money  increased  I  supplied 
myself  with  books,  among  others,  a  Testament  .  For,  fond- 
ness for  books  gave  me  little  or  no  time  for  the  amusements 
that  took  up  the  leisure  hours  of  my  companions.  By  this 
course  I  became  singular  and  escaped  many  evils,  and  also 
saved  my  money. 

"In  the  year  1762  my  mother,  five  brothers  and  a  sister 
were  sold,  and  I  was  brought  to  the  city  of  Philadelphia 
with  my  master.  My  employment  in  this  city  was  to  wait  in 
the  store,  pack  up  and  carry  out  goods.  In  this  situation  I 
had  an  opportunity  with  the  clerk  to  get  copies  set  for  me; 
so  that  I  was  soon  able  to  write  to  my  mother  and  brothers 
with  my  own  hand.  My  spelling  is  bad  for  want  of  proper 
schooling.  In  the  year  1766  I  asked  my  master  the  liberty 
of  going  one-quarter  to  night  school,  which  he  granted.  In 
that  quarter,  I  learned  addition,  troy  weight,  subtraction, 
apothecaries'  weight,  practical  multiplication,  practical  divis- 
ion and  reduction. 

"In  the  year  1770  I  married  a  wife  who  was  a  slave.  I 
soon  after  proposed  to  purchase  her  freedom.  To  this  her 
mistress  agreed  for  the  sum  of  forty  pounds.  Not  having 
the  money  in  hand  I  got  an  appeal  drawn  and  John  Thomas, 
my  father-in-law,  and  I,  called  upon  some  of  the  principal 
Friends  of  this  city.  From  some  we  borrowed  and  from 
others  we  received  donations.     In  this  way  we  soon  raised 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  73 

thirty  pounds  of  the  money,  her  mistress,  Sarah  King,  for- 
giving the  balance  of  ten  pounds.  By  this  time,  my  master's 
family  was  increased,  and  I  was  much  hurried  in  my  servi- 
tude. However  I  took  a  house  and  for  seven  years  made  it 
my  business  to  work  until  twelve  or  one  o'clock  at  night  to 
assist  my  wife  in  obtaining  a  livelihood,  and  to  pay  the  money 
that  was  borrowed  to  purchase  her  freedom.  This  being 
fully  accomplished  and  having  a  little  money  in  hand,  I 
made  application  to  my  master  in  the  year  1778  to  purchase 
my  own  freedom ;  but,  as  this  was  not  granted,  I  fortunately 
met  with  a  small  house  and  lot  of  ground,  to  be  sold  for  one 
hundred  and  fifty  pounds  Continental  money.  Having  laid 
by  some  hard  money,  I  sold  it  for  continental  and  purchased 
the  lot.  My  desire  for  freedom  increased  as  I  knew  that 
while  I  was  a  slave  my  house  and  lot  might  be  taken  as  the 
property  of  my  master.  This  induced  me  to  make  many 
applications  to  him  for  liberty  to  purchase  my  freedom;  and 
on  the  first  of  October,  1784,  he  generously  gave  me  a  man- 
umission. I  have  ever  since  continued  in  his  service  at  good 
wages,  and  I  still  find  it  my  duty  both  late  and  early  to  be 
industrious  to  improve  the  little  estate  that  a  kind  Providence 
has  put  in  m)-  hands.  Since  mj-  freedom  I  have  built  a  couple 
of  small  houses  on  the  same  lot  which  now  let  for  twenty- 
two  pounds  a  year." 

In  reporting  the  death  of  Absalom  Jones  to  the  Conven- 
tion of  Pennsylvania  in  1818,  Bishop  White  said  of  him: 
"I  do  not  record  the  event  without  a  tender  recollection  of 
his  eminent  virtues,  and  of  his  pastoral  fidelity." 

Upon  his  tomb  in  the  old  churchyard  where  his  remains 
vv'ere  buried  was  inscribed  the  following:  "To  the  memory 
of  the  Rev.  Absalom  Jones,  who,  born  a  slave,  and  becoming 
possessed  of  freedom  by  good  conduct,  and  rendered  respecta- 
ble by  a  course  of  virtuous  industry,  was  principally  instru- 


74  The  Afro-Americax  Uroup 

mental  in  founding  the  African  Church  of  St.  Thomas,  in 
which  he  was  the  first  pastor;  and  after  discharging  the  du- 
ties of  the  ministry  faithfully  during  twenty-two  years,  he  de- 
parted this  life,  February  13,  1818,  aged  71  years  3  months 
and  3  days." 

The  Rev.  William  Douglass,  who  assumed  the  charge  of 
St.  Thomas  in  September  1834  in  his  history  of  that  parish, 
issued  in  1862,  says: 

"I  w^ould  have  you  to  mark  well  the  following 
language  used  by  the  founders  of  this  church:  'Be- 
ing desirous,'  they  say,  'of  avoiding  all  apearance 
of  evil  by  self-conceitedness,  or  an  intent  to  pro- 
mote or  establish  any  new  human  device,  they  en- 
tered into,  and  established  an  orderly  Christian- 
like government  and  order  of  former  usage  in  the 
Church  of  Christ.'  They  desired  nothing  more  nor 
less  than  to  become  a  branch  of  the  One  Holy, 
Catholic  and  Apostolic  Church ;  'in  which  the  pure 
word  of  God  is  preached,  and  the  sacraments  duly 
administered  according  to  Christ's  ordinance,  in 
all  those  things  that  are  of  necessity  are  requisite  to 
the  same.'  For  this  exhibition  of  practical  wisdom 
on  their  part,  we  should  rejoice  and  be  thankful. 
It  is  not  the  boast  of  St.  Thomas  that  the  mass  of 
our  people  has  hitherto  been  won  to  her  standard. 
Yet  it  can  not  be  successfully  denied  that  she  has 
exerted  a  powerful  influence  for  good  among  other 
denominations  of  her  brethren  since  organized  into 
religious  bodies.  Whatever  of  taste,  order  and  in- 
telligence be  now  discovered  among  the  various 
colored  churches  here,  may  in  a  great  degree  be 
traced  to  the  stimulating  influence  of  St.  Thomas. 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  75 

She  stood  alone  at  one  time  in  favor  of  the  educa- 
tion of  the  ministry  and  people.  But  a  favorable 
change  is  now  universally  taking  place.  She  was 
once  spoken  of  in  disparaging  terms  on  account  of 
her  care  for  cleanliness  and  decency  in  the  house 
of  worship,  her  carpeted  aisles,  her  pews  and  organ. 
But  now  she  is  closely  imitated  in  all  these  respects. 
I  repeat  that  it  is  not  our  boast  that  the  mass  have 
flocked  to  our  Zion.  The  time  has  not  yet  arrived. 
It  should  be  remembered  that  though  our  people 
are  rapidly  improving,  they  are  not  yet  fully  devel- 
oped. Our  sober,  rational  and  inimitable  devo- 
tional service,  the  Lessons,  Epistles  and  Gospels 
statedly  read,  are  what  they  actually  jieed  in  order 
to  raise  them  to  the  dignity  of  intelligent  Chris- 
tians ;  but,  they  are  not  as  yet  generally  prepared  to 
appreciate  them,  owing  to  their  early  pre-possess- 
ions.  But  the  day  is  at  hand  when  from  previous 
intellectual  training  the  rising  generation  will  be 
fully  competent  and  every  way  disposed  to  investi- 
gate matters  closely.  They  will  no  longer  be  gov- 
erned, as  too  many  of  their  elders  are  now,  by  su- 
perstitious notions,  false  premises  and  illogical  con- 
clusions. They  will  become  honest  and  candid 
searchers  after  the  truth.  Then,  the  time  will  have 
arrived  for  St.  Thomas  to  arise  in  her  strength  and 
make  an  aggressive  movement — to  challenge  her 
brethren  of  other  names  to  compare  notes  w4th  her 
in  regard  to  the  basis  of  their  ecclessiastical  struc- 
tures." 

Mr.  Douglass  in  the  introduction  of  his  Annals  thus  ac- 
counts for  the  Methodistic  attraction: 


76  The  Afro-Americax  Group 

*'As  Methodism  addressed  itself  chiefly  to  the 
feelings  and  affections — which  are  always  strongest 
among  undisciplined  minds — the  great  majority 
gave  their  adherence  to  that  system.  Another  cause 
of  the  success  of  this  denomination  in  gathering  into 
their  folds  more  of  the  colored  population  than  any 
other,  may  be  ascribed  to  their  itinerancy.  This 
class  of  ministers,  at  the  time  referred  to,  made  no 
pretentions  to  literary  qualifications,  and  being  de- 
spised and  persecuted  as  religious  enthusiasts,  their 
sympathies  naturally  turned  towards  the  lowly, 
who,  like  themselves,  were  of  small  estimate  in  the 
sight  of  worldly  greatness." 

The  enemies  of  the  Episcopal  Church  of  our  own  group 
have  industriously  sought  to  create  the  impression,  especially 
as  pertains  to  the  far  South,  that  sympathetic  feeling  did 
not  exist  between  the  black  and  white  members  of  the  Epis- 
copal household  during  the  days  before  the  Civil  War.  In 
South  Carolina  the  sympathetic  feeling  was  so  genuine  and 
productive  that  there  were  as  many  colored  as  white  com- 
municants. Illustrating  somewhat  the  type  of  the  white 
South  Carolina  clergy,  we  introduce  at  this  point  the  story 
of  the  procuring  of  a  white  South  Carolinian  as  rector  of  St. 
Thomas  Church,  Philadelphia. 

During  the  summer  of  1826,  the  Rev.  P.  Van  Pelt,  a 
white  priest  in  charge  of  one  of  the  most  important  white 
parishes  in  the  diocese  of  South  Carolina,  visited  the  city  of 
Philadelphia.  During  his  stay  there  he  frequently  officiated 
for  the  people  of  St.  Thomas,  with  much  satisfaction  and 
benefit.  The  people  of  this  African  Church  had  become  so 
thoroughly  carried  away  by  reason  of  his  most  acceptable 
ministrations,   that   'ere  his   return   to   South   Carolina,   the 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  77 

vestry  of  St.  Thomas  extended  him  a  hearty  and  unanimous 
invitation  to  become  the  rector  of  the  parish.  Bishop  White, 
Dr.  Abercrombie  and  others  of  the  clergy,  knowing  the  de- 
sire of  the  congregation  to  secure  his  services,  and  believing 
that  such  would  be  productive  of  much  good,  strongly  urged 
Mr.  Van  Pelt  to  accept  the  call.  At  length,  regarding  it  as 
a  duty,  he  accepted  the  call ;  but  owing  to  previous  engage- 
ments at  the  South,  did  not  enter  upon  his  duties  as  rector 
until  June  1827.  In  1830  Mr.  Van  Pelt  was  appointed 
secretary  of  the  Domestic  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society 
in  New  York,  as  well  as  editor  of  its  periodical.  With  re- 
spect to  the  departure  of  Mr.  Van  Pelt  Mr.  Douglass  says: 

"On  the  eve  of  separating,  the  congregation,  as 
a  testimony  of  their  affectionate  regard,  presented 
him,  in  addition  to  other  substantial  memorials,  a 
large  and  beautiful  silver  pitcher.  Mr.  Van  Pelt 
was  a  young  gentleman  of  very  prepossessing  ap- 
pearance, fine  talents  and  oratorical  powers  of  a 
high  order.  During  the  three  years  of  his  minis- 
trations he  was  very  successful  through  the  divine 
blessing  upon  his  labors,  in  promoting  true  and 
vital  godliness  among  the  people  of  his  charge.  In 
1829,  he  presented  to  Bishop  White  44  persons  for 
Confirmation.  The  Sunday  School  rapidly  grew 
in  its  dimensions,  and  greatly  flourished.  Its  fame 
spread  among  the  colored  people  of  other  denomina- 
tions, from  among  whom  large  accessions  were 
made  to  the  school,  they  having  at  that  time  no 
Sunday  Schools  of  their  own.  An  organ,  for  the 
first  time  was  introduced  into  the  church  at  his  sug- 
gestion. Mr.  Van  Pelt,  evidently,  made  an  indel- 
ible impression  upon  the  congregation  of  St.  Tho- 


78  The  Afro-Am  eric  ax  Group 

mas.  The  elder  members  of  that  time  have  since 
departed  this  life;  but,  I  never  knew  them  speak 
of  the  days  referred  to  unless  in  the  most  glowing 
terms,  as  pleasing  reminescenses  of  the  past.  And 
I  feel  confident  that  it  is  not  possible  now  for  me  to 
introduce  into  the  pulpit  a  clergyman  more  accep- 
table to  our  hearers — excepting  our  venerable  and 
beloved  Bishop— than  the  Rev.  P.  Van  Pelt,  D.  D." 

At  the  time  of  the  publication  of  the  ''Annals''  1862, 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Van  Pelt,  w^hile  still  secretary  of  the  Domestic 
and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  of  the  Church,  was  also 
professor  of  oriental  languages  in  the  Theological  Depart- 
ment of  Burlington  College,  N.  J. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Van  Pelt  was  followed  in  the  rectorship 
of  St.  Thomas,  by  another  white  clergyman.  Rev.  J.  M. 
Douglass.  On  the  17th  of  September,  1834,  the  Rev.  Wil- 
liam Douglass,  ordained  in  Maryland  during  the  preceeding 
June,  took  charge  of  St.  Thomas,  where  he  remained  until 
his  death  in  1862. 

The  case  of  Dr.  Van  Pelt  is  deserving  of  special  emphasis. 
It  is  in  itself  an  interpretation  of  race  relations  between  the 
better  class  of  colored  and  white  persons  of  that  period  North 
and  South.  Note  that  this  is  the  first  Instance  on  record 
where  a  vestry  of  a  colored  congregation  Invited  a  white 
clergyman  to  become  regularly  settled  over  them  as  the  rec- 
tor of  their  parish.  The  man  who  was  called  and  who  ac- 
cepted was  at  the  time  rector  of  a  white  congregation  In  the 
State  and  diocese  of  South  Carolina.  That  Dr.  Van  Pelt 
was  an  ordinary  5^oung  white  man  is  sufficiently  contradicted 
by  the  avidity  with  which  the  authorities  of  the  Missionary 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  79 

Society  of  the  Church  sought  and  obtained  his  services  three 
years  thereafter.  The  incident  is  important  as  it  illustrates 
the  contention  that  all  along  from  the  very  beginning  the 
high-class  white  people  of  education  and  good  breeding,  de- 
spite the  institution  of  slavery,  exercised  the  most  sympathe- 
tic and  helpful  attachment  towards  the  black  people 

Any  number  of  the  most  radical  and  outspoken  friends  of 
the  black  man  have  been  men  born  and  reared  on  the  soil  of 
South  Carolina.  We  cannot  forbear  in  giving  another  in- 
stance of  such  devotion.  The  Rev.  Dr.  John  H.  Elliott, 
some  time  rector  of  the  Church  of  the  Ascension,  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  and  one  of  the  national  figures  in  the  Episcopal 
Church,  a  South  Carolinian  by  birth,  at  the  time  of  the  great 
controversy  over  the  admission  of  St.  Marks,  Charleston,  in 
union  with  the  South  Carolina  Convention  in  1876,  was  the 
leader  of  that  section  of  the  committee  which  recommended 
the  unconditional  admission  of  the  colored  parish.  In  his 
memorable  speech  upon  the  floor  of  the  Convention  in  defense 
of  his  contention,  among  other  things,  he  said: 

"That  it  is  our  interest,  no  less  than  our  duty 
before  God  to  do  what  we  can  to  elevate  this  race 
to  win  them  over  to  the  side  of  religion  and  order, 
to  inspire  them  with  confidence  in  our  good  will 
and  sincerity,  to  wean  them  from  their  ignorant  and 
self-constituted  teachers,  and  to  weaken  the  triple 
cord  of  religious,  political,  association  and  caste- 
feeling,  by  which  they  are  now  held  in  bondage,  no 
good  Christian,  or  sensible  man  will  deny.  Yet  it 
is  proposed  to  us  to  repel  a  large  and  influential  col- 
ored congregation,  of  whose  piety  and  respectability 
and  sympathy  with  us  there  is  no  dispute,  because 
we  do  not  care  to  sit  with  them  in  the  same  Con- 


80  The  Afro-Americax  Group 

vention,  or  allow  them  to  have  a  voice,  however 
humble,  in  the  government  of  their  own  church,  or 
because  we  can  not  bring  ourselves  to  face  certain 
unpleasant  consequences  which  may,  or  may  not, 
follow  their  introduction.  Instead  of  joyfully  tak- 
ing them  by  the  hand  and  welcoming  them  as  our 
co-workers  in  bringing  about  a  better  state  of  feel- 
ing between  the  two  races,  w^e  are  asked  to  deepen 
the  chasm  already  existing,  to  cut  away  the  last 
bridge  of  communication  by  which  we  may  reach 
a  better  understanding,  and  to  convince  them,  once 
and  forever,  that  where  we  have  the  power,  we 
mean  to  wield  it  against  every  semblance  of  equal- 
ity, even  thought  it  be  in  the  Church  of  Christ.  We 
may  do  our  best  to  put  another  face  upon  it,  but 
this  will  be  their  reading  of  it,  and  they  will  find 
this  construction  sustained  by  the  great  majority  of 
civilized  men,  even  of  our  own  race  and  color." 


CHAPTER  VI. 

ST.  PHILIPS  CHURCH,   NEW  YORK 

While  St.  Thomas  Church,  Philadelphia,  is  the  first  and 
oldest  of  colored  Episcopal  Churches  in  this  country,  yet,  it 
must  be  remembered  that  the  people  of  St.  Thomas  were 
brought  up  as  "Methodists,"  and,  in  maturer  life,  in  a  body, 
conformed  to  the  Church.  Absalom  Jones,  the  first  pastor  of 
this  same  congregation,  was  49  years  of  age  when  ordained 
to  the  diaconate.  On  the  other  hand  the  people  who  first 
constituted  St.  Philips  Church,  New  York,  had  been  most 
carefully  trained,  and  brought  up  in  the  worship  and  ways  of 
the  Church.  The  Rev.  Peter  Williams,  the  chief  founder, 
and  first  pastor,  was  confirmed  in  the  Church  when  a  youth 
eighteen  years  of  age,  and  for  quite  a  while  was  assistant  to 
the  Catechist,  having  in  charge  the  early  training  of  the 
people. 

Almost  from  the  very  beginning  Trinity  Parish,  New 
York,  maintained  work  among  the  colored  people,  and  as 
this  work  grew  in  volume  steps  were  taken  to  gradually  pre- 
pare the  colored  group  for  the  active  work  of  a  parish,  and 
Church,  under  the  guidance,  as  well  as  material  assistance,  of 
Trinity  Church. 

At  the  time  of  the  founding  of  St.  Philips,  1818,  the 
total  population  of  New  York  City  was  about  160,000 — 
12,000  of  whom  were  descendants  of  the  African  race.  Only 
sixty  colored  persons  were  tax-payers,  and  only  16  were 
qualified  to  vote.  Slavery,  at  that  time,  had  not  been  entire- 
ly abolished,  complete  emancipation  being  effective  in  1827. 


82  The  Afro-American  Group 

As  the  work  of  instruction  in  conection  with  Trinity  Parish 
invited  increasing  numbers,  for  more  efficient  care  a  room 
over  a  carpenter's  shop  on  Cliff  street,  now  Peck's  slip,  was 
secured,  and  fitted  up  with  only  such  furniture  as  was  abso- 
lutely needed.  Sometimes  services  were  held  in  the  evenings, 
and  when  such  was  the  case  illumination  was  secured  by 
candles  fixed  on  square  blocks  and  placed  at  intervals  around 
the  room 

A  Mr.  George  Lorrillard,  a  wealthy  New  Yorker,  being 
interested  in  the  work,  made  a  lease  of  a  parcel  of  ground  on 
Collect  street,  afterwards  Center  street,  to  the  parish  of  St. 
Philips  for  60  years,  at  an  annual  rental  of  $250,  and  at 
the  expiration  of  this  time  the  land  should  become  the  pro- 
perty of  the  Church.  Thus  a  site  for  the  church  building 
was  secured,  an  effort  was  now  put  forth  towards  the  erec- 
tion of  an  edifice.  In  this  the  congregation  was  assisted  by 
Trinity  Parish,  and  also  by  $2400  left  through  the  will  of 
Mr.  Jacob  Sherred,  to  aid  the  congregation  in  its  work.  The 
first  building  was  a  frame  structure,  60-50.  Bishop  Hobart 
spoke  in  high  praise  of  the  new  church  and  mentioned  the 
important  fact  that  the  greater  part  of  the  work  on  the 
building  was  done  by  Negro  mechanics,  which,  incidentally, 
tell  of  the  industrial  position  of  the  race,  even  in  that  early 
day.  The  edifice  had  galleries  on  both  sides  and  in  front, 
and  contained  altogether  144  pews.  Its  cost  was  a  little 
over  $8,000.  The  building  was  solemnly  consecrated  on  the 
3rd  of  July,  1819.  The  first  Baptism  in  the  Church  occurred 
on  the  19th  of  the  same  month,  the  name  of  the  child  Chris- 
tened being  Samuel  Saltus.  On  the  20th  of  October  of  the 
same  year,  1819,  the  ordination  of  the  Parish's  faithful  Lay 
Reader,  Mr.  Peter  Williams,  occurred.  The  Commercial 
Advertiser,  the  day  following,  with  respect  to  the  event, 
said:    "Yesterday   morning   Mr.    Peter  Williams,   Jr.,   was 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  83 

admitted  to  the  Holy  Order  of  Deacons  in  St.  Philips 
Church,  by  the  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  Hobart.  The  new  deacon 
is  a  person  of  color,  who,  being  possessed  of  good  natural 
parts,  has  much  improved  his  intellectual  faculties  by  intense 
study  and  application,  and  has  written  several  little  tracts, 
which  abundantly  show  that  with  God  there  is  no  respect  of 
persons.  Mr.  Williams  is  of  unexceptional  morals,  and  his 
zeal  in  the  cause  of  our  blessed  Redeemer  is  well  known,  and, 
it  is  devoutly  to  be  hoped  that  he  be  a  useful  minister  in  the 
Christian  Church,  and  of  great  service  in  propagating  the 
Gospel  among  his  African  brethren." 

The  great  joy  which  the  people  of  St.  Philips  experienced 
was  destined  for  a  time  to  be  overshadowed  by  a  heavy  afflic- 
tion; for,  on  the  evening  of  December  8,  1821,  a  fire  broke 
out  and  the  church  was  destroyed.  Happily  it  was  insured 
for  its  full  value,  and  very  soon  another  even  more  attractive 
was  in  course  of  erection.  The  second  edifice  was  duly  con- 
secrated by  Bishop  Hobart,  December  31,  1822.  With  this 
great  triumph  over  difficulties,  increased  spiritual  activity 
was  manifested,  which  showed  itself  for  several  years  in  large 
classes  presented  for  Confirmation.  On  May  7th,  1826,  in 
St.  Philips  Church,  Bishop  Hobart  Confirmed  115  persons, 
and  in  the  year  1829  48  were  confirmed  and  in  1832,  70  re- 
ceived the  laying  on  of  hands.  On  July  10th,  1826,  in  St. 
Philips  Church,  the  Rev.  Peter  Williams  was  advanced  to 
the  Priesthood. 

Towards  the  beginning  of  the  year  1840,  the  health  of 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Williams  began  to  fail.  On  the  evening  of 
October  18,  of  the  same  3  ear,  he  retired  to  his  rest  as  usual 
at  his  residence,  68  Crosby  street,  but  before  the  light  of 
another  day  his  spirit  had  fled.  Bishop  Onderdonk,  who 
officiated  at  the  funeral  in  St.  Philips  Church,  remarked, 
before  morning  he  awoke  "not  to  the  light  of  this  world,  but 


84  The  Afro-American  Group 

to  the  glorious  splendor  of  Paradise."  A  newspaper  of  that 
time,  said:  "The  Rev.  Peter  Williams,  Jr.,  son  of  Peter 
Williams,  tobacconist,  53  Liberty  street,  was  born  in  New 
York  City."  It  was  generally  understood  that  Mr.  Williams 
was  more  or  less  a  protege  of  Bishop  Hobart.  In  1808  he 
delivered  an  oration  on  the  African  Slave  Trade  in  which  he 
strongly  depicted  its  horrors.  By  some  his  claim  to  the  au- 
thorship of  this  oration  was  doubted,  deeming  it  above  his 
capacity;  but  Bishop  Moore,  who  understood  all  the  facts  in 
the  case,  publicly  testified  to  the  contrary,  and  his  affidavit 
accompanied  by  others,  was  printed  with  the  oration. 

Rev.  William  Douglass,  at  that  time  rector  of  St. 
Thomas  Church,  Philadelphia,  in  a  sermon  the  next  month 
following  his  death  to  his  own  cengregation,  said,  of  the  late 
Mr.  Williams:  "He  manifested  a  deep  concern  for  the  im- 
provement, not  only  of  the  people  of  his  charge,  but  for  his 
brethren  generally.  Hence,  he  was  fond  of  contributing  his 
influence  and  pecuniary  means  towards  supporting  the  vari- 
ous organized  instrumentalities  that  had  a  tendency  to  ele- 
vate and  improve  the  condition  of  his  oppressed  people.  .  .  . 

He  was  not  conspicuous  in  such  matters.    For  no  man, 

perhaps,  was  less  given  to  display,  or  aimed  less  at  popular 
applause  than  he  .  If  he  could  hide  himself  from  personal 

gaze  he  seemed  best  pleased Did  he  see  a  promising 

youth  who  lacked  nothing  but  the  necessary  advantages  to 
enable  him  to  reflect  credit  upon  himself  and  people,  in  a 
moral  and  intellectual  point  of  view,  he  was  the  man  that 
would  spare  no  pains  to  get  such  an  one  in  a  situation  favor- 
able to  the  development  of  his  powers.  He  took  delight  in 
seeking  out  such  cases.  There  is  now  a  high  school  in  the 
city  of  New  York  that  owes  its  establishment  to  his  untiring 
efforts." 

Bishop  Onderdonk,  in  his  Convention  address  of   1841, 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  85 

thus  alludes  to  the  late  Rev.  Peter  Williams  and  the  parish 
over  which  he  had  presided : 

"This  excellent  brother,  as  you  well  know,  being  one  of 
themselves,  had  been  for  many  years  the  faithful,  devoted 
and  eminently  useful  pastor  of  a  parish  formed  of  Africans 
and  their  descendants.  A  better  ordered  parish  the  diocese 
does  not  possess.  Air.  AVilliams  added  to  sincere  and  en- 
lightened piety,  and  a  grade  of  talent  and  theological  ac- 
quirements quite  above  mediocrity,  great  soundness  of  judg- 
ment and  prudence  in  action,  and  a  just  appreciation,  a  sin- 
cere love  and  a  consistent  adoption  of  sound  Church  princi- 
ples. Trul\'  attached  to  his  flock  and  cordially  devoted  to 
their  best  interests,  he  took  heed  unto  them  with  a  wise  re- 
gard to  what  most  concerned  their  duty  and  welfare  in  the 
life  that  now  is,  and  their  well-grounded  Christian  hope  of 
that  which  is  to  come.  He  fed  them  with  a  faithful  and 
true  heart,  and  ruled  them  prudently  with  all  his  power." 

Following  the  death  of  Mr.  Williams,  the  parish  was 
without  a  settled  rector  for  quite  a  while.  During  this 
period  a  number  of  well-known  white  clergy  were,  at  diverse 
times,  the  acting  pastors.  Among  this  number  were:  Rev. 
Messrs.  Benjamin  Evans,  Donald  Fraizer  and  Ralph  Hoyt. 
Following  Mr.  Hoyt,  the  Rev.  Samuel  V.  Berry,  one  of  St. 
Phillips'  own  sons,  acted  as  pastor  for  quite  a  while. 

In  1845  the  parish  began  its  seven  years'  fight  for  ad- 
mission into  union  with  the  Convention  of  New  York.  It 
was  a  long  and  interesting  one.  Dr.  James  McCune  Smith 
and  Mr.  Alexander  Elston  were  elected  deputies  to  the  Con- 
vention. The  people  of  St.  Philips,  in  showing  their  grati- 
tude to  their  foremost  friend  and  advocate,  the  Hon.  John 
Tav.  elected  him  for  the  second  time  as  their  representative 
in  the  diocesan  Convention.  Mr.  Jay  in  declining  a  repeti- 
tion of  the  honor  paid  the  warmest  tribute  possible  to  the 


86  The  Afro-American  Group 

parish.  He  said  that  never  had  he  esteemed  himself  so  highly 
honored  than  the  previous  5ear,  when  he  answered  "roll  call" 
as  the  representative  from  that  African  parish. 

For  many  years  there  was  a  celebrated  and  venerable 
character  in  connection  with  St.  Philips  Church ;  from  its 
first  days  "Father  John  Peterson,"  who,  as  a  pioneer  educa- 
tor, laid  the  intellectual  foundations  for  scores  of  colored 
men,  many  of  whom  in  later  life  attained  national  fame.  He 
was  an  educator.  But  from  the  earliest  days  of  the  parish 
he  had  manifested  an  active  interest  in  a^.l  of  its  affairs,  and. 
the  very  year  the  Civil  War  closed,  by  Bishop  Horatio 
Potter,  he  was  admitted  to  the  permanent  diaconate.  In  this 
capacity  he  was  of  special  value  and  service  to  the  parish 
during  vacancies  in  the  rectorship.  Father  Peterson  was  active 
in  making  arrangements  for  the  initial  Conference  of  Church 

Workers  which  assembled  in  New  York  in  1883. 

The  parish  of  St.  Philips  has  sent  into  the  ministry  quite 
a  number  of  its  own  sons.  Among  those  in  the  early  minis- 
try of  the  Church  were  Alexander  Crummell,  Hezekiah 
Green,  who  went  to  Africa;  DeGrasse,  who  laid  down  his 
young  life  in  the  West  Indies,  and  Samuel  Vreeland  Berry, 
a  pioneer  priest  and  teacher  in  the  South  following  the  close 
of  the  Civil  War. 

St.  Philips  possesses  property  in  value  of  possibly  more 
than  a  million  of  dollars.  This  is  not  because  of  the  wealth 
of  its  people;  for  St.  Philips  is  by  no  means  a  wealthy  con- 
gregation. And  especially  during  the  present  rectorship  has 
it  been  built  up  from  less  than  three  hundred  communicants 
to  more  than  2,500  from  the  poor  and  ordinary  workers.  Its 
wealth  is  easily  explained  when  the  wonderful  growth  of 
New  York  City  is  recalled.  Besides  its  own  immediate 
church  property  it  had  lots  for  burying  purposes  and  other 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  87 

small  pieces  of  real  estate.  Being  continually  forced  further 
up  the  island  because  of  the  increasing  business  area,  the 
value  of  its  holdings  increased  marvellously  with  every 
change  in  location  it  was  bound  to  make.  Then,  again,  upon 
the  whole  the  parish  has  had  good  business  management  of 
its  affairs.  Especially  is  this  true  during  the  past  well-nigh 
forty  years. 

For  more  than  a  period  of  one  hundred  years  this  parish 
has  had  only  four  rectors,  and  all  of  them  have  been  descen- 
dants of  the  African  race.  Mention  has  already  been  made 
of  the  superior  intellectual  qualifications  of  the  Rev.  Peter 
Williams  over  men  of  his  day.  He  was  clearly  a  leader  of 
his  day  and  generation.  In  June  1859  the  Rev.  William 
Johnson  Alston,  a  native  of  North  Carolina,  graduated  from 
Kenyon  College,  Gambier,  Ohio,  and  was  ordained  deacon 
by  Bishop  Mcllvaine.  For  the  next  year  or  so  Mr.  Alston 
became  the  acting  pastor  of  St.  Philips.  In  1862  he  accepted 
the  rectorship  of  St.  Thomas,  Philadelphia,  but  after  a  short 
while  there  he  returned  to  St.  Philips  as  the  second  rector  of 
that  parish  where  he  remained  until  his  death. 

The  Hon.  John  P.  Green,  Cleveland,  Ohio,  one  of  the 
distinguished  leaders  of  the  race  in  this  country,  also  an  ar- 
dent and  staunch  Churchman,  in  his  most  excellent  autobio- 
graphy published  in  1919,  notes  some  interesting  data  with 
respect  to  the  early  life  and  struggles  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Al- 
ston, which  we  give  elsewhere  in  this  volume.  Mr.  Green, 
a  native  of  North  Carolina,  a  resident  of  many  years  of 
Cleveland,  is  a  former  member  of  the  Senate  of  that  State. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Alston  was  succeeded  in  the  rectorship  of 
St.  Philips  by  the  Rev.  Joseph  Sandford  Atwell,  a  native  of 
the  West  Indies. 

Mr.  Atwell  first  labored  in  Kentucky,  then  in  Virginia; 
and  from  Virginia  he  went  to  Georgia.     It  was  from  the 


88  The  Afro-Am ericax  Group 

rectorship  of  St.  Stephens  Church,  Savannah,  Ga.,  that  he 
was  called  to  St.  Philips.  He  was  a  thoroughly  educated 
man,  receiving  his  literary  training  at  Coddrington  College 
in  the  West  Indies,  and  his  theological  training  in  the  Divin- 
ity Hall,  Philadelphia,  which  eventuated  into  the  present 
Philadelphia  Divinity  School.  Mr.  Atwell's  rectorship  did 
not  last  very  long  before  his  translation  to  the  spirit  world. 
But  his  short  administration  made  a  profound  impression 
upon  the  community. 

The  fourth  and  present  rector  of  St.  Philips,  the  Rev. 
Hutchens  C.  Bishop,  D.  D.,  is  a  native  of  Maryland.  His 
father  and  mother  were  united  in  holy  matrimony  by  the 
Rev.  William  Douglass,  a  Maryland  born  man,  as  well  as 
the  first  black  man  ordained  to  our  ministry  on  Southern 
soil.  Long  before  the  Civil  War  the  parents  of  the  present 
rector  of  St.  Philips  were  among  the  most  conspicuous  char- 
acters laboring  together  in  the  building  up  of  St.  James 
First  African  Church,  Baltimore,  at  whose  font  Dr.  Bishop 
received  his  Christian  name.  Later  the  older  brothers 
and  sisters  of  Dr.  Bishop  were  among  the  pioneers  from 
St.  James  who  established  the  second  congregation  in  that 
city,  the  Chapel  of  St.  Mary  the  Virgin.  It  was  in  this  new 
home  that  Hutchens  C.  Bishop  was  Confirmed  and  further 
instructed  in  Church  principles.  In  due  season  he  entered 
the  General  Theological  Seminary,  being  the  first  colored 
student  to  be  received  and  graduated. 

Because  of  an  unfortunate  "ritualistic  controversy,"  in 
which  the  parish  with  which  he  was  identified  was  involved, 
he  was  transferred  by  Bishop  Whittingham  to  the  diocese  of 
Albany,  and  was  ordained  to  the  diaconate  in  the  Albany 
Cathedral  by  Bishop  William  Croswell  Doane  of  that  dio- 
cese. The  following  year  in  the  same  place  by  the  same 
Bishop  he  was  advanced  to  the  Priesthood.     Laboring  for  a 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  89 

while  in  Albany,  ^Maryland,  and  South  Carolina,  he  was 
finally  called  to  the  rectorship  of  St.  Philips,  assuming  the 
charge  January  1,  1886.  From  that  time  to  the  present  the 
historic  parish  has  sustained  a  phenomenal  progress  in  every 
way  under  the  wise,  efficient  and  judicious  administration  of 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Hutchens  C.  Bishop. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

ST.   JAMES   FIRST  AFRICAN   CHURCH,    BALTIMORE,   MD. 

St.  Thomas  Church,  Philadelphia,  the  first  of  all  our 
colored  Episcopal  parishes,  was  really  a  congregation  of  col- 
ored Methodists  conforming  to  the  Episcopal  Church.  In 
the  case  of  the  second,  St.  Philips,  New  York,  wt  have  a 
group  of  colored  persons  under  the  w^ing  of  Trinity  Church, 
duly  instructed  and  prepared  for  the  work  of  initiating  a 
parish  of  the  Episcopal  Church  among  the  people  of  African 
descent. 

In  that  of  St.  James  First  African  Church,  Baltimore, 
we  have  something  entirely  different.  The  founding  of  St. 
James  introduces  our  first  great  missionary  hero  of  the  black 
lace.  William  Levington  appears  to  have  been  born  in  the 
city  of  New  York  about  the  very  year  St.  Thomas  Church, 
Philadelphia,  came  into  being.  For  nearly  twenty-five  years 
St.  Thomas  Church  was  a  "living  w^onder"  in  all  America. 
During  all  this  period  it  existed  as  the  only  such  congrega- 
tion in  the  United  States.  When  one  recalls  those  early 
days  with  the  undeveloped  character  of  our  country  during 
the  infant  period  of  our  republic,  and  the  numerical  weak- 
ness of  the  Episcopal  Church  among  the  whites,  he  can 
readily  imagine  the  wonder  and  astonishment  with  which  St. 
Thomas  was  viewed,  a  congregation  of  persons  of  African 
descent  with  a  minister  from  their  own  group. 

Under  what  circumstances  Mr.  Levington  removed  from 
New  York  to  Philadelphia  are  not  known.     But,  so  far  as 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  91 

our  investigation  has  gone,  he  was  the  first  man  ordained  in 
St.  Thomas  Church  since  the  ordination  of  Absalom  Jones, 
the  founder  of  that  parish,  in  1795,  at  which  time  Mr.  Lev- 
ington  was  an  infant  in  the  city  of  New  York.  And  thus  it 
came  to  past  that  the  little  African  babe  born  in  New  York, 
after  having  received  his  priestly  light  from  the  shrine  of 
Absalom  Jones,  was  the  first  of  his  kind  to  penetrate  the  land 
where  slavery  reigned,  and  successfully  plant  the  cross  of 
Jesus  Christ,  in  spirit,  saying  as  he  journeyed  southward, 
"Nothing  in  my  hand  I  bring,  simply  to  Thy  cross  I  cling." 

It  is  not  to  be  wondered  that  we  have  almost  no  data  at 
all  with  respect  to  the  personal  history  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Lev- 
ington.  He  was  a  pilgrim  in  a  strange  land,  sent  by  no  mis- 
sionary board,  and  with  but  little  appreciation  on  the  part 
of  those  he  came  to  help.  He  left  behind  two  "manuscripts," 
but  of  such  a  retiring  nature  was  the  man,  neither  one  of 
these  documents  supply  us  with  any  personal  particulars  of 
the  man,  the  hero  of  such  remarkable  accomplishment.  The 
first  of  these  documents  relates  the  story  of  his  coming  to 
Baltimore,  and  of  his  final  success  in  the  erection  of  the  edi- 
fice ;  while  the  second  is  a  defense  of  his  policy  of  admitting 
the  slave  population  to  the  same  spiritual  equality  in  the 
Church  as  enjoyed  by  the  free  people  of  color. 

From  the  first  document  we  quote:  "It  is  right  that  the 
Christian  public  and  the  members  of  the  Church,  together 
with  the  rising  generation,  should  know  who  or  what  gave 
rise  to  the  establishment  of  St.  James  First  African  Protes- 
tant Episcopal  Church,  in  Baltimore;  for  their  information 
I  note  the  following.  I  visited  Baltimore  soon  after  my 
ordination,  March  14,  1824,  and  spent  three  or  four  weeks 
here,  after  which  I  returned  to  Philadelphia;  and  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Wyatt  asked  Mrs.  L.  Douton  and  Mr.  Isaac  Whipper 
if  they  thought  that  I  could  get  up  a  school  and  be  supported 


92  The  Afro-Americax  Group 

here  while  trying  to  raise  a  church.  They  told  him  that  I 
could,  and  each  of  them  oftered  to  board  me  six  months ;  and 
after  they  had  conversed  with  some  of  their  friends  about  it 
they  wished  the  doctor  to  write  to  Philadelphia  for  me,  which 
with  the  cordial  consent  and  approbation  of  the  late  Rt.  Rev. 
and  V^enerable  Bishop  Kemp,  he  did  immediately.  I  arrived 
in  Baltimore  on  the  26th  of  May,  of  the  same  year — but  so 
gloomy  were  the  prospects  that  there  was  no  place  to  be  had 
to  conduct  divine  worship  and  hold  a  school  and  but  little 
exertion  made.  However,  with  blessings  of  the  great  Head 
of  the  Church,  the  23rd  of  June,  I  got  a  place  where  I  per- 
formed divine  service  and  held  a  day  and  Sunday  School, 
until  the  last  of  March,  1827,  when  we  moved  to  the  present 
church. 

"Nine  months  after  my  arrival  here  there  appeared  to  be 
no  probability  of  establishing  a  church ;  so  much  so  that  Mrs. 
L.  D.  and  Mr.  I.  W.  withdrew  from  the  concern.  But  be 
it  remembered,  that  although  Mrs.  L.  D.  and  Mr.  I.  W. 
withdrew  from  the  concern,  yet  much  respect  is  due  them 
for  their  benevolent  act  toward  the  establishment  of  the  pre- 
sent church.  I  owe  much  gratitude  to  the  Rev.  J.  P.  K. 
Henshaw  for  his  individual  influence  and  counsel  in  behalf 
of  the  Church,  and  for  his  eloquent  sermon  which  he  preach- 
ed (Gen.  28:17)  when  the  church  was  consecrated  to  the 
service  of  Almighty  God — and  also  to  S.  Young,  Esq.,  for 
his  friendly  counsel  and  individual  influence,  and  may  the 
names  of  R.  Nelson  and  E.  J.  Coale,  Esqs.,  ever  be  dear  to 
those  who  worship  in  the  church,  and  all  who  may  hereafter 
w^orship  in  it ;  and  all  those  who  are  and  who  shall  be  taught 
in  it  to  read  the  Word  of  God ;  for  it  was  by  the  solicitation 
of  the  above  named  gentlemen,  that  the  lot  of  ground  on 
which  the  church  is  erected  was  generously  given  by  James 
Bosley,  Esq.,  on  the  19th  day  of  April,   1825;  and  by  their 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  93 

further  solicitation,  a  few  days  after,  Peter  Hoffman,  John 
B.  Morris  and  George  Warner,  Esqs.,  gave  donations  of 
fifty  dollars  each,  and  Mr.  G.  W.  gave  five  thousand  bricks; 
at  which  time  they  also  kindly  consented  to  superintend  the 
building  and  appropriation  of  the  funds  contributed  for 
erecting  the  church.  I  sincerely  pray  that  the  Divine  Head  of 
the  Church  will  abundantly  reward  in  this  world  and  in  the 
world  to  come  everlasting  life.  And  when  I  and  the  present 
worshippers  in  the  said  church  shall  cease  to  venerate  their 
worthy  names,  having  slept  with  our  fathers,  may  those  of 
our  posterity,  w^ho  may  have  knowledge  of  them  as  our 
worthy  benefactors,  venerate  their  names  to  the  latest  gen- 
eration. 

"William  Levington, 
"Pastor  of  St.  James  F.  A.  P.  E.  Church." 
Mr.  Levington  was  a  young  man  about  thirty  years  of 
age,  and  he  had  thrust  upon  him  in  addition  to  the  matter  of 
gaining  a  support  and  the  erection  of  a  building,  one  of  the 
knottiest  problems  that  could  have  been  presented.  He  had 
not  taken  upon  himself  the  mission  southward  for  the  pur- 
pose of  establishing  a  "chapel  of  ease,"  simply  for  free  Ne- 
groes, but  to  help  and  benefit  the  entire  race,  bond  and  free. 
A  portion  of  "the  free  colored  people"  were  aggressively 
bent  upon  the  exclusion  of  the  slave  population,  and  greatly 
aggravated  the  burdens  of  this  black  missionary  by  their  per- 
sistent efforts  in  that  direction.  Manuscript  No.  2,  will  give 
some  idea  of  this  controversy.     It  reads: 

MANUSCRIPT  NUMBER  TWO 

"We  are  asked  by  some  persons  why  we  have  constituted 
our  brethren  members  of  the  Church,  and  entitled  them  to 
vote,  who  are  in  bondage,  who  are  above  twenty-one  years, 
and  who  comply  with  the  requisites  required  by  the  consti- 
tution. 


94  The  Afro-American  Group 

"First;  we  answer,  the  Apostle  ssivs  whether  bond  or 
free  ye  are  all  one  in  Christ  Jesus,  for  he  that  is  called  in 
the  Lord  being  a  servant,  is  the  Lord's  freeman.  Of  a  truth 
God  is  no  respector  of  persons;  but  in  every  nation  he  that 
feareth  Him  and  worketh  righteousness,  is  accepted  with 
Him.     (Gal.  3-28;  I  Cor.  7:22;  Acts  10:34-35). 

"Secondly;  the  lot  of  ground  was  generously  given  by 
James  Bosley,  Esq.,  as  a  site  for  a  church  and  school  for  the 
benefit  of  the  African  race  forever,  and  the  citizens  of  Bal- 
timore, New  York,  Boston,  Troy,  Hartford,  Albany,  Phila- 
delphia, and  elsewhere,  gave  donations  toward  erecting  the 
church,  and  Peter  Hoffman,  Esq.,  took  a  distinguished  part 
In  its  erection  without  which,  we  believe,  we  should  not  have 
got  one  yet  erected. 

"Thirdly.  In  August,  1827,  our  late  Rt.  Rev.  and  Ven- 
erable Bishop  Kemp,  met  with  a  number  of  us  in  the  church, 
and  told  us  that  the  great  object  in  erecting  the  church  was 
that  both  bond  and  free  might  serve  God  and  prepare  for 
another  world ;  and  above  all  people  in  the  world  he  thought 
we  ought  to  be  the  most  united.  Can  a  wise  man  with  a 
feeling  heart,  suppose  that  we,  some  of  whom  have  felt  the 
yoke  of  bondage,  should  draw  a  line  of  separation  ?  No,  let 
the  day  be  darkened  forever  on  which  we  should  do  it?  Have 
we  all  not  one  Father?  Hath  not  one  God  created  us?  Why 
should  we  deal  treacherously  every  man  against  his  brother? 
(Mai.  2:10).  The  Church  is  none  other  than  the  House  of 
God,  and  this  is  the  gate  of  Heaven.  (Gen.  28:37). 

"We  charitably  ask  the  Christian  public  shall  we  be  par- 
tial in  the  House  of  God,  and  at  the  gate  of  Heaven  become 
judges  of  evil  thoughts.  No,  we  will  remember  them  that 
are  in  bonds  as  bound  with  them  ourselves.     (Heb.  13:3). 

"Thus  we,  the  vestrymen  and  minister  of  the  said  church, 
acquiesce  with  the  Apostle  and  our  late  venerable  Bishop, 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  95 

whose  unwearied  labors,  whose  instructive  example  and  holy 
admonitions  may  we  never  forget.  William  Levington, 
Thomas  B.  Rose,  William  Warrick,  Philip  Myers,  Levin 
Brown,  Henry  Davis,  Peter  Dennis,  Henry  Johnson." 

The  estimated  value  of  the  lot  upon  which  the  church 
was  built  was  $2,000.  The  modest  edifice  cost  about  $2,300, 
and  the  money  was  raised,  mainly,  through  the  personal  soli- 
citations of  Mr.  Levington.  He  made  several  trips  north  for 
that  purpose.  From  his  last  report  to  the  diocesan  conven- 
tion of  1834,  it  is  revealed  that  a  balance  of  $637.73  was  still 
owing  on  the  property.  Rev.  Dr.  Joshua  Peterkin,  who  fol- 
lowed Mr.  Levington,  paid  off  this  indebtedness.  In  that 
last  report,  Mr.  Levington  says:  "The  rector  would  say  that 
although  the  constitution  of  the  church  gives  to  those  of  his 
brethren  who  are  in  bondage  the  right  of  membership  in  the 
church,  much  dissatisfaction  has  prevailed  among  some  of  his 
free  brethren;  yet  with  the  blessing  of  the  Great  Head  of  the 
Church,  it  has  been  happily  and  finally  settled." 

Although  but  a  handful  of  people,  comparatively  speak- 
ing, St.  James  Church,  with  its  day  school,  exerted  a  marvel- 
ous influence  in  the  community.  Its  indirect  influence  being 
far  greater  than  its  direct  impress  upon  the  race.  Many  of 
the  afterward  active  men  and  women  of  the  race  received 
their  educational  training  under  Mr.  Levington.  The  wife 
of  the  late  Bishop  A.  W.  Wayman,  of  the  African  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  as  a  girl,  received  her  education  in  St. 
James  Church  under  Mr.  Levnigton.  The  same  was  true 
of  the  mother  of  Bishop  Levi  J.  Coppin,  (A.  M.  E.  Bishop) 
an  alumnus  of  our  Episcopal  Divinity  School  in  Philadel- 
phia. The  same  was  true  of  William  Douglass,  the  first 
colored  man  ordained  to  our  ministry  in  Maryland.  It  was 
the  presence  of  Levington  in  this  city  which  discovered  and 
brought  into  the  Church  such  a  useful  man  as  the  Rev.  Mr. 


96  The  Afro-American  Group 

Douglass,  of  whom  Bishop  Alonzo  Potter  said :  "As  a  reader 
of  the  Liturgy  he  was  unsurpassed."  St.  James  has  had  an 
eventful  history,  and,  although  until  the  present  rectorship 
it  never  had  more  than  one  hundred  communicants  at  any 
one  time,  yet,  the  moral,  spiritual  and  intellectual  influence 
exerted  has  been  entirely  out  of  all  proportion  as  contrasted 
with  numbers.  There  were  only  two  colored  congregations 
in  Baltimore  at  that  time  having  colored  pastors  and  control 
of  their  own  local  affairs.  St.  James  was  one  of  these,  while 
Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church  was  the  other.  Bethel  abounded  in 
numbers  and  ignorance.  The  Rev.  Dr.  D.  A.  Payne,  ''the 
great  Negro  apostle  of  education,"  later  Bishop  of  the  A.  M. 
E.  Church,  came  to  Baltimore  in  1843  to  assume  the  charge 
of  Bethel.  In  the  next  few  5  ears  he  erected  a  very  beautiful 
church  for  that  congregation.  With  respect  to  the  past  of 
that  congregation,  Bishop  Payne  alludes  in  the  following 
paragraph:  "On  the  9th  of  July,  1848,  this  majestic  temple 
of  the  Lord  w^as  consecrated  with  very  interesting  and  impos- 
ing ceremonies.  The  day  that  witnessed  the  finish  of  the 
beautiful  house  of  God  also  dated  a  new  era  in  the  history  of 
the  congregation  worshipping  in  it.  Up  to  that  time  they 
were  regarded  by  the  white  community  as  the  most  ignorant, 
most  indolent  and  most  useless  body  of  Christians  in  the  city. 
Since  then  they  have  been  commended  as  one  of  the  most  in- 
teresting and  enterprising  in  it." 

We  do  not  believe  that  a  more  useful,  educated  Negro, 
than  Bishop  Daniel  A.  Payne  has  ever  lived.  And,  yet, 
scarcely  any  of  our  great  leaders  have  been  more  generally 
hated  and  persecuted  than  he.  Ever5rwhere,  and  upon  all 
occasions  he  was  militantly  aggressive  with  his  onslaughts  on 
ignorance  and  "Baptized  superstitution,"  as  he  characterized 
it.  He  was,  preeminently,  not  only  learned,  but  a  man  of 
God,  absolutely  bold  and  fearless. 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  97 

It  was  just  about  the  time  of  Dr.  Payne's  advent  in  Bal- 
timore that  St.  James  Church  gave  birth  to  an  institution  for 
the  benefit  of  the  whole  community,  which  proved  the 
instrument  of  drawing  together  in  a  kind  of  brotherhood  a 
large  portion  of  the  reputable  and  substantial  colored  men  of 
the  city.  It  was  the  organization  of  St.  James  Alale  Bene- 
ficial Society.  The  leader  in  this  new  enterprise  was  Harrison 
Holmes  Webb,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  who  at  that  time 
was  Lay  Reader  and  teacher  of  the  day  school  of  St.  James 
Church  and  a  candidate  for  Holy  Orders.  Subsequently  he 
was  ordained  both  deacon  and  priest,  and,  after  serving  as 
the  assistant  minister,  became  the  rector  of  the  parish.  His 
was  the  second  ordination  in  the  church,  the  Rev.  Eli  W. 
Stokes  having  been  ordained  there  in  October,  1843. 

St.  James  Society  proved  the  point  of  union  for  colored 
men  of  every  denomination  in  the  city  who  had  at  heart  the 
well-being  of  the  race,  and  the  preservation  of  the  highest  and 
best  ideals.  This  society  not  only  cared  for  the  sick,  and 
buried  the  dead,  but  its  regular  meetings  proved  "a  forum" 
where  all  the  things  which  concerned  the  advancement  of 
the  racial  group  were  discussed,  and  where  its  members  were 
educated  in  parliamentary  proceedure.  Man\  of  them  not 
only  became  fluent  in  debate  and  powerful  in  argument,  but 
thoroughly  furnished  in  the  knowledge  of  affairs  generally. 
Following  the  death  of  \lr.  Levington  in  1836  the  Rev. 
Joshua  Peterkin.  white,  who  was  strongly  inclined  to  go  to 
Africa,  as  a  missionary,  changed  his  mind  and  came  to  St. 
James  to  save  it  from  perishing.  His  ministry  of  only  a  few 
years  was  most  fruitful  and  helpful.  Dr.  Peterkin  was  the 
honored  father  of  Bishop  Peterkin  of  West  Virginia.  Early 
in  the  forties  the  Rev.  Mr.  Mcjilton,  in  addition  to  his  du- 
ties elsewhere,  assumed  the  rectorship  of  St.  James  Church, 
wherein  he  continued  for  about  sixteen  years,  having  as  his 


98  The  Afro-American  Group 

lay  assistant  Mr.  Harrison  H.  Webb,  who  after  ordination 
became  the  assistant  minister  of  the  parish,  and,  in  1857,  suc- 
ceeded Mr.  Mcjilton  in  the  rectorship  of  the  church.  The 
administration  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Mcjilton  was  exceedingly 
fruitful.  The  congregation  steadily  advanced  under  him. 
Having  duly  prepared  Mr.  Webb,  his  assistant,  in  a  most 
beautiful  letter  to  the  vestry,  he  tendered  his  resignation, 
and  earnestly  recommended  the  election  of  his  assistant  as  his 
successor.  The  administration  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Webb  as 
rector  and  teacher  of  the  day  school  continued  until  the  year 
1872,  when  he  resigned.  It  was  during  the  latter  part  of  this 
rectorship  that  some  forty  of  the  younger  folk  of  St.  James, 
under  the  leadership  of  Messrs.  C.  M.  C.  Mason  and  Wil- 
liam H.  Bishop,  Jr.,  initiated  St.  Philips  Mission  in  the 
newer  and  growling  section  of  the  city.  The  mission  became 
quite  thriving  indeed,  but  Bishop  Whittingham  was  indis- 
posed to  its  continuance  because  of  the  weakening  effect  it 
exerted  on  St.  James,  and  he  endeavored  to  re-unite  the  two. 
But  the  young  people  were  determined ;  so  the  mission  for- 
TTially  disorganized  itself,  and,  the  week  following,  the  same 
persons  composing  it  were  organized  as  a  new  missionary 
venture  of  Mt.  Calvary  Church,  under  the  name  of  "the 
Chapel  of  St.  Mary  the  Virgin,"  and,  although  numerically 
large,  it  has  continued  to  this  day  as  a  mission  chapel  of  Mt. 
Calvary  Church. 

St.  James  Church  was  much  weakened  by  these  removals ; 
so  much  so,  that  upon  the  application  of  the  vestry  to  Rev. 
Dr.  Hodges,  rector  of  St.  Pauls  parish,  the  rector  of  St. 
Pauls  assumed  the  charge  of  the  spiritualities  of  the  congre- 
gation, furnishing  a  priest  from  that  parish  as  the  regular 
pastor  of  St.  James.  This  arrangement  became  effective  from 
Advent,  1873,  when  the  Rev.  Isaac  L.  Nicholson  (afterwards 
Bishop  of  Milwaukee)   assumed  the  pastoral  charge.     The 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  99 

era  of  St.  Pauls'  guardianship  terminated  with  the  31st  of 
December,  1888,  when  the  Rev.  B.  W.  Timothy,  a  colored 
priest,  resigned  the  appointment  made  by  the  rector  of  St. 
Pauls.  In  the  meantime  the  old  edifice  had  been  adjudged 
unsafe,  the  congregation  temporarily  meeting  at  Howard 
Chapel,  (a  Mission  of  Emmanuel  Church)  while  a  new 
location  was  sought.  So  weakened  had  the  congregation  be- 
come that  at  the  request  of  the  vestry  Bishop  Paret  assumed 
full  control  of  its  affairs.  During  this  unsettled  period  the 
Rev.  Henry  Tarrant,  white,  the  Rev.  William  H.  Wilson 
and  the  Rev.  Francis  John  Clay  Moran,  white.  Archdeacon 
of  the  Diocese  for  Colored  Work,  officiated.  During  the 
fall  of  1890  the  congregation  was  settled  in  East  Baltimore 
in  an  edifice  which  was  purchased  by  the  Bishop  on  High 
street,  which  had  formerly  been  a  white  Baptist  Church.  The 
Rev.  John  C.  Anderson  was  placed  in  charge.  Everything 
was  so  discouraging  and  the  congregation  dwindling  away 
that  Mr.  Anderson  did  not  remain  a  full  year,  but  resigned 
while  the  Bishop  was  away  in  Europe,  the  Archdeacon  sup- 
plying the  vacancy  until  a  settled  minister  could  be  secured. 
After  an  extraordinary  effort  Bishop  Paret  succeeded  in  se- 
curing the  acceptance  of  the  Rev.  George  F.  Bragg,  Jr.,  at 
that  time  rector  of  Grace  Church,  Norfolk,  Va.  The  Rev. 
Mr.  Bragg  arrived  in  Baltimore  to  take  charge  of  St.  James 
Church  on  November  17th,  1891,  and,  on  the  Sunday  next 
before  Advent  of  that  same  year,  officiated  for  the  first  time. 
His  rectorship  has  continued  to  the  present  time. 

The  first  edifice  located  at  the  juncture  of  North  and 
Saratoga  streets,  was  duly  consecrated  by  Bishop  Kemp  on 
the  31st  of  March,  1827,  the  corner-stone  having  been  laid 
on  the  10th  of  October  preceeding.  At  the  consecration,  the 
morning  service  was  said  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Wyatt,  rector  of 
St.  Pauls.     Dr.  Henshaw,  rector  of  St.  Peters  Church,  after- 


100  The  Afro-American  Group 

wards  the  first  Bishop  of  Rhode  Island,  preached  the  conse- 
cration sermon  .  With  respect  to  this  service  Bishop  Kemp 
said :  "The  congregation  was  large  and  devout,  the  responses 
were  well  made  and  the  chanting  and  singing  quite  delight- 
ful." 

The  present  edifice  on  Park  avenue  and  Preston  street, 
was  erected  during  the  year  1901,  the  cornerstone  being  laid 
on  Sunday  afternoon,  June  22;  the  first  service  was  held  in 
the  new  church  on  the  10th  of  October  of  the  same  year. 

St.  James  was  organized  as  an  independent  parish  and 
has  continued  such  through  all  the  days  of  its  weakness.  Its 
first  rector  and  founder,  Mr.  Levington,  had  no  fixed  sal- 
ary. The  Rev.  Harrison  H.  Webb  received  a  very  insigni- 
ficant sum  as  salary,  which  was  augmented  from  funds  de- 
rived from  school  teaching.  Up  to  the  time  the  present  rec- 
tor took  charge  thirty-five  dollars  a  month  was  the  highest 
mark  registered  on  pastoral  support,  and  that  for  only  one 
5'ear.  When  the  present  rector  took  charge  his  entire  sup- 
port came  through  the  Bishop.  Not  only  has  a  new  congre- 
gation and  a  new  church  edifice  been  called  into  existence, 
but  the  congregation,  long  since,  has  been  advanced  to  com- 
plete self-support;  in  addition  to  contributing  its  full  share 
to  diocesan  and  general  objects.  During  this  period  some 
four  or  five  of  its  members  have  entered  the  Holy  Ministry, 
and  a  charitable  institution  initiated  by  the  rector,  has  be- 
come a  regular  diocesan  affair,  under  the  authority  of  the 
diocesan  convention,  with  the  Bishop  as  President,  ex-ojficio. 

On  Saturday,  June  3,  1922  at  the  Cathedral  of  the  In- 
carnation, Baltimore,  the  rector  of  St.  James  First  African 
Church,  had  the  pleasure  and  the  privilege  of  presenting  to 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  101 

Bishop  Murray  for  ordination,  two  young  men  whom  he 
had  held  in  his  arms  as  babes  and  baptized — Mr.  Gus- 
tave  H.  Caution,  who  was  made  deacon,  and  Rev.  Cornelius 
R.  Dawson  who  was  advanced  to  the  priesthood. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

CHRIST  CHURCH,   PROVIDENCE,  R.  I. 

While  Alexander  Crummell  was  in  Boston,  preparing 
for  the  ministry,  whose  ordination  took  place  in  St.  Pauls 
Cathedral,  that  city,  an  attempt  to  rear  a  colored  congrega- 
tion in  Providence,  R.  I.,  was  made  by  him.  At  that  time 
Rhode  Island  was  a  part  of  the  Eastern  Diocese.  After  Dr. 
Crummell  had  given  it  up,  this  mission  was  served  by  two 
white  clergymen,  Rev.  Messrs.  Frank  and  Richmond.  At 
the  regular  annual  Convention  of  the  Diocese  of  Rhode  Is- 
land assembled  in  St.  Stephens  Church,  Providence,  in  June, 
1843,  "Christ  Church"  was  regularly  admitted  as  a  parish  in 
union  with  the  Convention.  This  simple  fact  is  of  historic 
interest,  since  such  was  the  very  first  admission  of  colored 
laymen  as  delegates  in  any  Diocesan  Convention  in  this  coun- 
try. Four  colored  men  attended  that  convention  and  took 
their  seats  as  deputies  from  a  parish  made  up  of  persons  of 
African  descent.  The  names  of  these  men  were  James  W. 
Johnson,  Benjamin  Barney,  John  M.  Ray  and  George  Head. 
Johnson  and  Ray  were  the  wardens  of  the  parish,  and 
George  Head  was  church  clerk.  As  an  interesting  bit  of 
history  it  is  well  to  reproduce  the  words  of  one  of  the  white 
clergy  having  charge  of  this  parish.  Said  he,  in  submitting 
his  annual  report : 

"This  is  the  only  colored  church  in  New  Eng- 
land, though  there   are  several  meeting-houses  of 


.OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  103 

different  sects  in  the  city  of  Providence.  The  ser- 
vices, the  church  and  the  worshippers,  present  an 
appearance  of  order,  neatness  and  regularily  which 
are  seldom  equaled,  and  can  hardly  be  surpassed. 
The  organist  is  a  colored  girl  under  twenty  years 
of  age,  and  the  music  is  excellent.  It  is  hoped  that 
all  persons  truly  interested  in  the  welfare  of  this 
portion  of  the  people  will  attend  the  services  when 
able,  see  for  themselves,  and  assist  this  needy  branch 
of  our  vine  (which  has  just  been  received  into  our 
Convention)  with  their  prayers  and  their  sub- 
stance." 

During  the  following  month,  August,  Rhode  Island  had 
her  first  Bishop  consecrated  in  the  person  of  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Henshaw  of  Baltimore.  In  October  of  the  same  year,  1843, 
in  Baltimore,  in  the  little  African  church  whose  consecration 
sermon  Dr.  Henshaw  had  preached,  a  number  of  years  be- 
fore, the  first  ordination  in  that  church  occurred.  It  was  that 
of  Eli  W.  Stokes,  (a  friend  of  Dr.  Henshaw)  by  Bishop 
Whittingham.  j\Ir.  Stokes  very  soon  after  his  ordination 
went  to  New  Haven,  Conn.,  where  he  organized  St.  Lukes 
Church  that  city  in  June,  1844.  Mr.  Stokes  only  remained 
in  New  Haven  a  few  years;  but,  in  the  meantime,  he  was 
advanced  to  the  prisethood  by  Bishop  Brownell  in  1846.  That 
same  year  he  responded  to  a  call  from  his  old  Baltimore 
friend.  Bishop  Henshaw,  and  accepted  the  rectorship  of 
Christ  Church,  Providence.  In  his  new  charge  Mr.  Stokes 
worked  diligently,  but,  with  a  few  members.  The  debt  upon 
the  little  church  was  a  heavy  burden.  So  he  determined  to 
make  a  pilgrimage  to  England  for  the  purpose  of  soliciting 
funds  to  free  the  church  of  debt.  The  mention  of  this  visit, 
and  its  success,  is  so  pleasingly  stated  in  the  annual  address 


104  The  Afro-American  Group 

of  the  Bishop  that  we  reproduce  the  same  here. 

Bishop  Henshaw  in  his  Convention  address  of  1849  says: 

"At  the  time  of  the  meeting  of  the  last  annual 
Convention,  the  Rev.  Eli  W.  Stokes,  rector  of 
Christ  Church  in  this  city,  was  absent,  in  Europe, 
for  the  purpose  of  soliciting  funds  to  liquidate  the 
debt  by  which  the  "parish  has  been  embarassed  ever 
since  their  house  of  w^orship  was  erected.  In  conse- 
quence of  a  certificate  required  by  the  laws  of  Eng- 
land, furnished  by  me,  he  was  received  with  great 
kindness  by  the  Archbishops,  Bishops  and  Clergy 
of  our  Mother  Church ;  and  I  am  happy  to  inform 
you  that  his  mission  was  crowned  with  entire  suc- 
cess, and  the  liberal  contributions  which  he  received 
in  that  distant  land  have  enabled  the  gentlemen 
holding  the  property  in  trust  to  make  a  satisfactory 
settlement  with  the  mortgagees.  The  congregation 
is  now  free  from  debt,  and  our  colored  brethren 
have  wisely  made  over  their  corporate  property  to 
the  "Board  of  Commissioners  for  Church  Build- 
ing" with  a  view  of  security  against  embarassment 
and  encumberance  for  the  time  to  come.  The  Chris- 
tian generosity  with  w^hich  our  English  brethren 
answered  the  appeal  made  to  them  in  behalf  of  that 
feeble  parish  has  been  duly  acknowledge  in  a  letter 
addressed  by  me  to  His  Grace,  the  Archbishop  of 
Canterbury,  and  through  him,  to  the  Church  over 
which  he  so  worthily  presides." 

The  next  year  the  Rev.  Mr.  Stokes  accepted  an  appoint- 
ment from  the  Domestic  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society, 
and  sailed  for  Liberia,  West  Africa,  to  labor  in  that  field. 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  105 

During  the  years  following  Christ  Church  made  a  desperate 
and  earnest  effort  for  existence,  but  the  odds  were  too  heavily 
against  it,  and,  finally,  it  pased  out  of  being.  Its  members 
became  attached  to  St.  Stephen's  Church  in  the  same  city, 
and,  within  recollection  of  the  present  author,  who,  during 
the  rectorship  of  Rev.  Dr.  Fiske,  preached  in  St.  Stephens, 
there  were  some  eighty  or  one  hundred  colored  communi- 
cants connected  with  that  parish.  In  recent  years  under  the 
patronage  of  Bishop  Perry,  a  new  separate  colored  congrega- 
tion, the  "Church  of  the  Savior"  has  come  into  being,  and 
is  in  a  constantly  growing  and  increasing  condition.  All  of 
the  Bishops  of  Rhode  Island,  Henshaw.  Clarke.  IVIcVickar, 
and  the  present  diocesan,  have  been  particularly  warm  and 
devoted  friends  of  the  colored  race. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

SAINT  LUKES  CHURCH,  NEW  HAVEN,   CONN. 

On  Sunday,  October  1,  1843,  in  St.  James  First  African 
Church,  Baltimore,  Bishop  Whittingham  admitted  to  the 
Order  of  Deacons,  Eli  Worthington  Stokes.  It  was  the 
first  ordination  of  a  colored  man  in  that  congregation  and 
the  second  such  within  the  diocese  of  Maryland.  There  was 
little  opportunity  for  Mr.  Stokes  to  exercise  his  ministry  in 
the  territory  south.  Thus,  soon  after  his  ordination  he  went 
to  New  England,  settling  in  New  Haven,  Conn. 

There  were  a  number  of  colored  persons  attending  the 
white  churches  in  that  city,  and  under  the  leadership  of  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Stokes  they  were  gotten  together  and  St.  Lukes 
parish  constituted,  June  4,  1844,  and  the  very  next  week 
following  St.  Lukes  was  admitted  into  union  with  the  Dio- 
cesan Convention  as  a  regular  parish  with  representation  in 
that  body.  The  congregation  worshipped  regularly  in  a 
brick  chapel  belonging  to  Trinity  Church.  Nine  years  later 
it  purchased  its  first  church  edifice  on  Park  street  which  had 
been  erected  and  used  by  a  Baptist  society.  This  building 
was  reconstructed  for  the  uses  of  the  Church,  but  was  never 
consecrated.  The  parish  underwent  many  changes  and  ex- 
periences; sometimes  it  had  lay,  and  at  other  times,  clerical 
administrations. 

In  the  spring  of  1885  the  congregation  increased  so  rapid- 
ly under  the  rector,  at  that  time  the  Rev.  Alfred  C.  Brown, 
that  it  was  deemed  necessary  to  adopt  measures  to  enlarge 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  107 

the  building,  and  a  legacy  left  for  the  special  purpose  of 
adding  a  chancel  encouraged  the  people  to  proceed  in  the 
work  without  delay.  About  six  hundred  dollars  was  raised 
among  the  people  of  the  parish  and  with  the  assistance  of 
many  kind  friends  among  the  church  people  of  New  Haven, 
the  work  was  pushed  forward  and  completed  at  a  cost  of 
about  two  thousand  dollars.  On  December  7th,  of  that 
same  year  St.  Lukes  was  consecrated  to  the  worship  of  Al- 
mighty God  by  the  Rt.  Rev.  John  Williams,  Bishop  of  Con- 
necticut, assisted  by  the  clergy  of  the  city  and  visiting  breth- 
ren. 

The  parish  has  had  nine  rectors  or  settled  clergymen.  In 
1856,  the  Rev.  James  Theodore  Holly,  afterwards  the  first 
Bishop  of  Haiti,  assumed  the  rectorship,  remaining  there 
until  1861,  when  he  headed  a  band  of  colonists  settling  in 
the  republic  of  Haiti.  Then  followed  the  Rev.  Samuel  V. 
Berry  of  New  York.  Mr.  Berry  w^as  succeeded  by  the  Rev. 
William  F.  Floyd,  M.  D.,  a  West  Indian.  Dr.  Floyd  was 
succeeded  by  another  native  of  the  West  Indies,  the  Rev. 
Alfred  C.  Brown.  The  author  was  well  and  intimately  ac- 
quainted with  the  Rev.  Mr.  Brown,  and  it  is  a  genuine  plea- 
sure to  state  in  this  connection  that  Rev.  Mr.  Brown  was 
one  of  the  finest  types  of  the  "able  Christian  gentleman"  that 
ever  graced  any  ministry.  He  was  universally  beloved  by  all 
who  knew  him,  and  the  late  Bishop  Dudley  brought  keen 
distress  to  the  people  of  St.  Lukes  when  he  called  Mr.  Brown 
to  take  charge  of  the  Church  of  the  Merciful  Savior,  Louis- 
ville, Ky.  iVIr.  Brown  after  laboring  successfully  in  Louis- 
ville for  a  while  returned  to  his  native  home  in  the  West 
Indies  and  settled  upon  his  farm.  The  Rev.  William  H. 
Morris,  D.  D.,  a  native  of  Baltimore,  but  who  had  entered 
the  Church  from  the  Presbyterians,  succeeded  Mr.  Brown 
at  St.  Lukes. 


108  The  Afro-American  Group 

Strange  as  it  may  appear  Dr.  Morris  never  advanced  to 
the  priesthood,  was  one  of  the  ablest  men  ever  admitted  to 
our  ministry.  But  he  seemed  illy-fitted  for  pastoral  work. 
He  was  an  exceedingly  "high"  Churchman,  and  a  bitter  con- 
troversalist.  Illustrating  his  fighting  propensity,  though 
only  a  deacon,  he  had  charge  of  the  important  work  in  the 
diocese  of  Georgia,  St.  Stephens  parish,  Savannah.  He  in- 
stituted a  number  of  innovations,  among  them  the  introduc- 
tion of  Eucharistic  lights.  The  late  Bishop  Beckwith  re- 
monstrated with  him.  Dr.  Morris  replied  to  his  Bishop's 
remonstrance  with  an  argument  embracing  sixteen  pages  of 
fools-cap  paper.  He  was  a  master  in  the  use  of  cutting 
satire.  The  result  of  the  controversy  was  his  Bishop  left 
him,  ecclessiastically  speaking,  suspended  between  the  heavens 
and  the  earth.  He  would  give  him  no  w^ork ;  neither  would 
he  depose  him.  Finally  his  friend  Bishop  Turner  of  the 
African  Methodist  Church,  gave  him  an  "appointment," 
and  for  a  number  of  years  he  sojourned  among  the  Metho- 
dists. But  he  was  just  as  much  "unconquerable"  among 
them  as  in  the  Church.  He  carried  his  "ritualism"  among 
the  Methodists  and  sought  to  make  them  conform  until  they 
"waxed  fat  and  kicked."  By  some  means  he  got  back  home 
again  and  breathed  his  last  in  full  and  loving  communion 
with  the  Catholic  Church. 

At  St.  Lukes,  New  Haven,  a  white  priest.  Rev.  Oliver  S. 
Prescott  served  the  people  most  acceptably  for  a  long  while. 
He  was  very  greatly  beloved  by  them  all ;  for  one  of  the  spe- 
cial traditions  which  has  ever  characterized  this  parish  is  its 
unfeigned  loyalty.  In  1901  the  Rev.  Eugene  L.  Henderson, 
at  that  time  in  charge  of  St.  Philips,  Annapolis,  was  called 
to  the  rectorship.  He  did  a  great  and  important  work.  It 
was  during  his  administration  that  the  present  handsome 
church  was  erected.    Mr.  Henderson  resigning  to  accept  the 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  109 

Archdeaconship  of  the  colored  work  in  Georgia,  the  parish 
again  became  vacant,  and  the  present  earnest  and  most  faith- 
ful rector,  the  Rev.  Harry  O.  Bowles,  then  of  Toledo,  O., 
was  called  to  the  charge  of  the  church  and  is  still  the  incum- 
bent. When  the  author  of  this  volume  first  became  acquaint- 
ed with  St.  Lukes  there  were  three  laymen  in  that  parish  that 
greatly  impressed  him  by  reason  of  their  generous  devotion 
to  the  interests  of  the  parish.  One  of  the  three  was  James 
VV.  Stewart,  a  prominent  colored  business  man,  caterer  for 
Yale  University,  and  at  one  time  a  member  of  the  City  Coun- 
cil;  the  other  two  were  Charles  H.  Phillips  and  Moses  T. 
Rice.  Stewart  and  Philips  were  the  two  wardens,  while 
Mr.  Rice  was  the  faithful  treasurer  of  the  parish. 

St.  Lukes  has  sent  some  valuable  men  into  the  Christian 
ministry.  Other  prominent  and  useful  professional  colored 
men  attending  \'ale  University  were  influenced  to  the  Church 
through  contact  with  St.  Lukes  Church  during  their  college 
da>s.  Among  them  was  Charles  E.  Cummings,  who,  going 
west  as  a  pioneer  school  teacher,  entered  the  ministry  of  the 
Church  and  established  St.  Augustines  Church,  Kansas  City, 
Mo.  The  Rev.  Alonzo  Johnson,  a  former  vestryman  of  the 
parish,  after  preparation  at  King  Hall,  Washington,  entered 
the  ministry  and  took  charge  of  St.  Monicas  Church.  Hart- 
ford, Conn.,  which  had  been  established  by  St.  Lukes  Church 
during  the  rectorship  of  Rev.  Mr.  Henderson. 

Many  years  ago,  Mr.  William  J.  Heritage,  removing  to 
North  Carolina,  became  quite  a  political  factor  in  that  State 
during  the  days  the  colored  people  were  in  politics.  There 
was  surely  a  time  when  the  black  people  were  in  politics. 
And  when  they  lived  they  lived  in  clover ;  but  when  they 
died,  they  died  all  over.  Hence,  it  was  while  they  "were  in 
clover"  that  William  J.  Heritage  was  elected  Register  of 
Deeds  of  one  of  the  counties  in  the  eastern  section  of  the 


110  The  Afro-American  Group 

State.  Some  time  afterwards  Mr.  Heritage  entered  the 
ministry  of  the  Church  laboring  arduously  in  the  diocese 
of  East  Carolina  until  a  few  years  ago,  while  Dean  of  the 
Colored  Convocation,  he  was  retired  on  account  of  increas- 
ing age.  The  Rev.  C.  A.  Nero,  a  priest  late  at  work  in  the 
diocese  of  North  Carolina,  is  another  son  of  St.  Lukes  parish ; 
so  also  is  the  Rev.  W.  Q.  Rogers  of  Atlanta,  Ga.  The  for- 
bears of  Dr.  W.  E.  B.  DuBois,  the  well-know^n  author,  and 
editor  of  The  Crisis,  were  concerned  with  the  founding  of 
St.  Lukes  Church,  and  Dr.  DuBois  himself  was  Christened 
in  St.  Lukes. 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE  CHURCH  OF  THE  CRUCIFIXION,  PHILADELPHIA,  PA. 

The  diocesan  journal  of  the  Convention  of  Pennsylvania, 
for  the  year  1852,  has  the  following: 

"The  movement  which  resulted  in  the  establishment  of 
this  church  was  made  by  a  respectable  gentleman,  (Mr. 
Thomas  A.  Latimer)  a  layman  of  St.  Pauls  Church  of  this 
city,  not  longer  than  the  15th  of  February,  1846.  Circum- 
stances had  made  known  to  him  that  a  large  number  of  col- 
ored persons  resided  in  the  neighborhood  of  Bedford  street, 
extremely  poor  and  wretched  as  to  physical  comforts,  and,  if 
possible,  more  destitute  of  moral  and  spiritual  advantages. 
His  first  effort  was  directed  towards  their  spiritual  improve- 
ment. He  rented  a  room  of  suitable  dimensions,  gave  infor- 
mation extensively  that  it  would  be  open  on  every  Sunday 
evening  for  Divine  Worship,  and  invited  the  colored  popula- 
tion to  attend. 

"For  nearly  three-fourths  of  the  first  year  the  mission 
was  chiefly  dependent  for  religious  services  on  the  rectors  of 
some  of  the  largest  of  our  city  churches. 

"On  the  first  of  November,  1846,  Rev.  Edward  C.  Jones 
became  connected  with  the  mission,  and  Divine  Worship  was 
conducted  by  him  statedly  at  a  building  on  Bedford  street 
called  Temperance  Hall. 

"He  also  visited  assiduously  among  the  colored  poor  at 
their  miserable  habitations  in  the  neighborhood.  How  long 
Mr.  Jones  continued  his  labors  does  not  distinctly  appear.  In 


112  The  Afro-Americax  Group 

less  than  six  months,  however,  after  he  commenced  the  mis- 
sion was  deprived  of  his  assistance  and  the  burden  of  sustain- 
ing it  was  thrown  back  upon  the  gentleman  with  whom  it  had 
originated.  He  had  recourse  a  second  time  to  the  parochial 
clergy  who  had  before,  at  much  personal  inconvenience,  gen- 
erously bestowed  their  services.  This  was  too  onerous,  both 
to  them  and  to  him,  to  be  long  maintained.  In  this  state  of 
difficulty  he  applied  for  counsel  and  assistance  to  the  Bishop. 

"By  his  exertions  in  a  short  time  a  church  was  duly  or- 
ganized. The  gentleman  who  had  begun  and  so  zealously 
prosecuted  this  work  of  charity  to  this  time,  w^as  invited  to 
become  a  member  of  the  vestry ;  but  he  declined  his  co-opera- 
tion in  this  way.  Eleven  other  gentlemen  were  then  appoint- 
ed .  Notice  of  their  appointment  and  of  the  establishment  of 
the  mission,  in  a  manner  which  promised  greater  permanency 
and  efficiency,  namely,  as  an  "Episcopal  Free  Mission 
Church"  was  given  in  one  or  more  of  the  daily  city  news- 
papers on  the  12th  of  April,  1847." 

This  parish  seems  to  have  been  admitted  at  one  Conven- 
tion, then  informally  omitted  from  the  regular  list.  And 
for  more  than  a  dozen  years  the  subject  of  its  admission  was 
w^armly  debated  in  Convention.  We  have  no  mind  to  follow 
the  discussion  of  the  subject  through  the  several  Conventions. 
How^ever,  it  should  be  noted  that  while  the  great  body  of 
the  people  composing  the  mission  were  of  the  colored  race, 
the  governing  body,  the  vestry,  were  all  w^hite  men  of  the 
highest  standing  in  the  city  and  diocese.  From  this  view^- 
point  the  fight  was  exceedingly  interesting.  The  final  scene 
in  Convention  when  this  matter  was  permanently  settled, 
we  shall  record  in  the  words  of  the  late  venerable  Bishop  of 
Central  Pennsylvania,  Rt.  Rev.  M.  A.  DeWolfe  Howe,  D. 
D.,  LL.  D.,  in  his  Mernoirs  of  the  late  Bishop  Alonzo  Pot- 
ter.   Says  Bishop  How^e: 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  113 

"No  individual  who  was  present  when  the  ques- 
tion was  finally  disposed  of  has  forgotten  or  can 
ever  forget  Bishop  Potter's  explanation  of  the  vote 
which  he  was  about  to  cast.  Few  Bishops  in  the 
history  of  our  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  have 
been  more  backward  than  this  calm,  impartial  man, 
to  sway  by  authority  or  influence  by  the  public  de- 
livery of  his  opinions  the  action  of  ecclessiastical 
bodies  over  which  he  presided.  On  most  matters 
concerning  which  he  thought  it  worth  while  to  in- 
terpose, he  did  so  in  personal  conversations  with 
individual  members  before  or  during  the  recess  of 
Convention,  and  his  views  reached  the  ears  of  the 
assembly  not  by  his  mouth,  but  through  the  lips  of 
others  to  whom  he  had  submitted  them  with  such 
convincing  force  that  they  had  adopted  them  as 
their  own,  and  spontaneously  spoke  in  their  advo- 
cacy. This  habitual  reticence  of  the  Bishop  when 
exciting  questions  were  on  the  carpet  led  some  oer- 
sons  to  impute  to  him  an  undue  timidity  and  cau- 
tion, a  disposition  for  the  sake  of  keeping  favor  with 
all  men  to  shun  committing  himself  for  or  against 
any.  The  customary  restraint  of  his  influence  gave 
to  it  great  power  when  he  was  moved  to  exert  it. 
On  the  question  of  admitting  to  seats  in  the  Con- 
vention representatives  of  the  parish  called  'The 
Church  of  the  Crucifixion,'  the  worshippers  of 
which  were  colored  persons,  no  man  could  accuse 
him  of  repression  or  ambiguity.  On  that  occasion, 
and  on  others  in  which  he  saw  that  truth  and  jus- 
tice were  in  danger  of  being  compromised,  he  spoke 
with  a  freedom,  decision  and  manliness,  not  often 
exhibited  by  those  in  high  places.     He  was  consid- 


114  The  Afro-Americax  Group 

erate  and  tolerant  to  the  last  degree  ....  but  when 
a  crisis  came  and  he  must  cast  in  his  lot  and  bear 
his  testimony  or  see  'truth  fallen  in  the  street,'  and 
himself  chargeable  with  blame-worthy  reserve  and 
caution,  he  came  out  with  an  enviable  heroism,  and 
astonished  and  electrified  those  who  had  esteemed 
him  over-cautious. 

"On  the  occasion  referred  to,  the  Bishop  did 
not  even  request  another  to  take  the  chair  that  he 
might  offer  his  remarks  from  the  floor  of  the  Con- 
vention (a  formality  observed  by  a  presiding  officer 
when  he  would  take  part  in  the  debates  of  a  delib- 
erative assembly)  but  from  his  elevated  position, 
and  in  the  gown  of  office,  poured  forth  the  honest 
and  almost  impassionate  recoil  of  his  soul  from  that 
measure  of  prejudice  and  injustice,  that  would  not 
only  deny  to  men  of  the  proscribed  race  liberty  to 
appear  for  themselves  in  the  counsels  of  the 
Church,  but  also  the  privilege  of  being  represent- 
ed by  men  of  the  dominant  race,  though  occupying 
the  foremost  rank  in  the  social  circle.  The  Bishop 
did  not  refrain  from  abjuring  that  peculiar  type  of 
Christian  charity  which  would  both  hold  the  Afri- 
can in  legal  disability  to  confer  with  brethren  in 
the  household  of  Christ  on  matters  of  common 
interest — and  also  to  repel  from  counsel  any  who 
with  generous  fraternity  had  braved  the  rebuke  of 
the  community  and  sought  to  do  him  good. 

"The  writer  of  this  memento  does  not  allege  the 
parliamentary  propriety  of  such  an  oration  from  the 
throne,  still  less  the  usage  of  the  diocese  from  the 
chief  seat  of  which  it  was  uttered,  in  calling,  when 
a  vote  by  orders  is  had,  the  name  of  the  Bishop  be- 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  115 

fore  instead  of  after  the  clergy ;  but  he  records  it  as 
a  solitary  instance  in  the  Episcopate  of  Alonzo  Pot- 
ter in  which  an  overwhelming  sense  of  right  moved 
him  to  an  assertion  of  privilege,  and  a  freedom 
and  fervency  of  expression  quite  beyond  his  wont, 
and  which  would  be  dangerous  as  a  precedent  for 
men  of  more  impetuous  temper.  Could  that  speech 
be  recovered  and  spread  upon  these  pages,  though 
the  majestic  presence  and  commanding  tone  of  the 
speaker  were  wanting,  it  would  be  recognized  by 
all  as  a  specimen  of  spontaneous,  unpremeditated 
eloquence  of  which  few  orators  in  any  department 
of  forensic  life  are  capable. 

"The  Bishop's  course  on  this  occasion  was  no 
doubt  prompted  by  his  interest  in  the  race  for  whose 
moral  elevation  and  welfare  the  Church  in  ques- 
tion was  established.     He  had  always  had  an  in- 
structive sympathy  for  men  of  low  degree,  and  es- 
pecially  for  those  who  were  suffering  the  degra- 
dation of  personal  or  ancestral  bondage.     His  care 
for  them  had  been  manifested  in  his  boyhood,  at 
his  brother's  house  in   Philadelphia,  and   again  in 
his  ministry  to  colored  people  while  a  professor  at 
Schenectady." — (See  Howe's  Memoirs  p.  231). 
After  serving  about  six  months  in  charge  of  St.  Thomas 
Church,  the  Rev.  Henry  L.  Phillips,  D.  D..  ordained  to  the 
ministry  by  Bishop  Stevens  in  1875,  was  called  by  the  white 
vestry  to  the  charge  of  the  parish  of  the  Church  of  the  Cru- 
cifixion.     From  a  material  viewpoint,  or  even   a  congrega- 
tional point  of  view,  there  was  little  or  nothing  to  the  work 
when   Henry  L.  Phillips,   assumed  the  burden.     It  so  hap- 
pened that  the  present  author,  a  very  young  man,  not  even 
ordained,  paid  a  visit  to  Philadelphia,  and  he  readily  recalls 


116  The  Afro-Am hricax  Group 

the  scene  in  the  old  delapidated  building  on  Eighth  street, 
which  greeted  him.  Here  we  first  met  with  Rev.  Dr.  Phil- 
ops  in  the  early  da\s  of  his  ministry  at  the  Church  of  the 
Crucifixion.  What  he  wrought  there  during  more  than  a 
third  of  a  century,  would  make  entertaining  and  helpful 
matter  for  an  entire  book.  Besides  the  excellent  buildings, 
church  and  parish  house,  and  parish  summer  home,  when  he 
resigned  and  was  made  rector-emeritus,  the  endowment  for 
the  parish  had  already  reached  quite  $25,000.  When  the 
present  rector  of  the  parish,  Rev.  Robert  H.  Tabb,  coming 
immediately  from  Camden,  N.  J.,  was  secured  as  the  assis- 
tant minister  of  the  parish,  it  was  with  the  fixed  purpose  of 
becoming  the  rector  of  the  parish  upon  the  retirement  or 
Dr.  Phillips.  Despite  the  changes  of  population,  and  other 
difficulties  and  hindrances,  by  reason  of  the  strong  founda- 
tion laid,  and  its  endowment,  the  good  work  of  social  re- 
demption and  Christian  edification  among  the  poor  is -un- 
failingly carried  on. 

The  presence  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia  of  ten  colored 
separate  congregations,  with  an  equal  number  of  able  and 
talented  young  colored  priests  ministering  to  the  same, 
witness  to  the  powerful  and  far  reaching  influence  for  good 
of  Henry  L.  Phillips  in  that  one  community  all  these  years. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

ST.    MATTHEWS   CHURCH,    DETROIT,    NHCH. 

"Parson"  William  C.  Munroe,  a  colored  Baptist  minis- 
ter of  education  and  attractive  manners,  found  his  way  to 
the  Church,  and  on  September  6,  1846,  in  St.  Pauls  Church, 
Detroit,  Mich.,  he  was  made  a  deacon  by  Bishop  McCrosky. 
"Parson"  Monroe,  in  his  day,  w^as  a  great  character  in  work 
among  our  racial  group.  Detroit  was  the  terminus  of  col- 
ored people  who  had  come  hither  from  the  South.  Mr.  Mun- 
roe was  a  teacher  of  some  note,  and  also  much  interested  in 
the  "John  Brown  movement."  It  is  said  that  he  was  the 
presiding  officer  of  the  John  Brown  Convention  held  in  or 
near  Detroit,  previous  to  the  raid  at  Harper's  Ferry.  Be- 
cause of  the  Fugitive  Slave  Law,  enacted  in  1850,  and  the 
consequent  scattering  of  the  people,  the  mission  that  had 
been  started  suffered  many  checks,  disappearing  and  then  re- 
appearing. In  1851  a  neat  chapel  was  furnished  and  a  small 
congregation  moved  into  it,  feeling  that  they  had  made  a 
good  beginning.  However,  slave  arrests  and  continual  hunt- 
ing around  for  such  who  had  fled  from  the  South,  exerted  a 
very  disastrous  effect  upon  the  work.  The  public  mind  thus 
becoming  unsettled,  the  majority  of  those  identified  with  the 
mission,  although  not  effected  directly  by  the  law,  became 
restive  and  left  the  country.  Mr.  A4unroe  found  himself 
at  this  time  with  only  five  families  and  only  twenty  persons 
as  his  stable  adherents. 

In   1855  Bishop  Holly  was  ordained  to  the  diaconate  in 


118  The  Afro-American  Group 

this  church,  and  shortly  afterwards  left  the  country  for  a 
trip  of  inspection  in  the  republic  of  Haiti.  About  1859,  Mr. 
Munroe  also  left  the  country  for  Liberia,  West  Africa,  to 
engage  in  missionary  work,  and  thus  the  work  in  Detroit 
went  gradually  down.  Finally,  in  1864  the  property  was 
sold,  debts  paid  and  the  balance  invested  as  "St.  Matthew's 
Fund."  The  neuclus  of  a  congregation  was  held  together 
by  Miss  Margaret  Scott,  w^ho,  on  leaving  Detroit  for  Africa, 
committed  her  colored  friends  to  the  care  of  the  city  parishes. 
Baptisms  and  Confirmations  of  colored  persons  w^ere  admin- 
istered in  the  white  churches  until  a  sufficiently  large  number 
of  colored  communicants  could  be  organized. 

In  November,  1880,  under  a  call  issued  by  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Worthington,  afterwards  Bishop  of  Nebraska,  then  Dean  of 
the  Detroit  Convocation,  about  twenty-five  colored  commu- 
nicants assembled  in  St.  Johns  parish  house  with  the  new 
Bishop,  the  Rt.  Rev.  S.  S.  Harris,  D.  D.,  presiding.  It  was 
decided  to  secure  a  site  for  the  new  church.  For  tw^o  3^ears 
services  were  held  in  a  hall,  the  clergy  of  the  city  officiating 
until  the  Rev.  G.  Mott  Williams,  former  Bishop  of  Mar- 
quette, took  full  charge.  The  church  edifice  was  erected  and 
consecrated  in  1883.  Mr.  Williams  carried  on  the  work  most 
successfully  for  several  years.  He  left  it  to  take  up  missionary 
work  in  the  city.  After  a  succession  of  white  ministers 
which  operated  disadvantageously  by  relieving  the  colored 
people  from  a  proper  sense  of  their  own  responsibility  and 
kept  many  of  the  colored  people  out  of  the  Church,  the  wis- 
dom of  calling  a  colored  man  as  rector  became  apparent  and 
resulted  in  the  change  of  policy,  and  the  Rev.  Charles  H. 
Thompson,  D.  D.,  a  man  of  scholarly  attainments  and  purity 
of  life,  was  called  as  first  rector  of  the  new  church.  He  en- 
tered upon  his  duties  April,  1890.  Then  it  was  that  the  real 
feature  of  parish  work  presented  itself  and  the  actual  respon- 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  119 

sibility  of  caring  for  an  up-to-date  church  opened  before  the 
gaze  of  the  people  who  had  hitherto  been  assisted  on  every 
side.  To  Dr.  Thompson  may  be  attributed  the  difficult 
work  of  cementing  the  colored  adherents  of  various  white 
churches  into  a  consolidated  congregation,  although  few  in 
number.  His  was  an  arduous  task,  and  he  left  it  after  three 
years  so  well  disposed  toward  the  administration  of  a  colored 
clergyman  that  the  Church  determined  to  call  as  good  a 
colored  man  as  could  be  found.  Happily,  the  lot  fell  on  the 
Rev.  Joshua  B.  Massiah,  a  native  of  the  West  Indies,  a  grad- 
uate of  the  General  Seminary,  a  man  of  culture,  refinement, 
wide  reading,  deep  spirituality,  and  in  every  way  providen- 
tially fitted  for  the  work.  Mr.  Massiah  had  previously  vis- 
ited England  and  preached  by  special  invitation  in  the  his- 
toric pulpit  of  St.  Pauls  Cathedral,  an  honor  conferred  on 
no  other  colored  clergyman  in  the  world.  Father  Massiah 
was  one  of  the  ablest  clergymen  in  the  diocese.  His  rector- 
ship was  characterized  by  an  intense  devotion  to  the  v»^ork 
which  required  a  rare  degree  of  faith,  persistency  and  per- 
sonal self-denial.  The  parish  was  greatly  built  up.  He  en- 
larged the  church,  fitted  up  a  beautiful  chancel  and  altar, 
put  in  an  excellent  pipe  organ  and  built  a  rectory  and  guild 
rooms  adjoining  the  church.  Resigning  St.  Matthews  he 
entered  upon  the  rectorship  of  St.  Thomas,  Chicago,  in  Jan- 
uary, 1906.  He  was  succeeded  at  St.  Matthew^s  by  the  Rev. 
Robert  W.  Bagnall  of  St.  Andrews  Church,  Cleveland, 
Ohio.  Mr.  Bagnall  continued  until  February,  1921,  when 
he  resigned  to  accept  work  with  the  National  Association 
for  the  Advancement  of  Colored  People.  Father  Bagnall 
advanced  the  interests  of  the  parish  very  greatly,  especially 
in  increasing  its  list  of  communicants,  and  by  becoming  a 
decided  influence  and  force  in  the  community.  After  a  short 
interval  Father  Bagnall  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Everard 


120  The  Afro-Americax  Group 

W.  Daniel,  the  present  rector,  who,  for  a  number  of  years, 
had  been  the  senior  curate  of  St.  Philips  Church,  New  York. 
The  Rev.  John  Albert  Williams  of  Omaha,  Neb.,  is  a 
product  of  this  parish.  Once  he  was  newsboy  on  the  streets 
of  Detroit.  Bishop  Worthington,  at  that  time  rector  of  one 
of  the  parishes  of  that  city,  became  much  interested  in  him. 
Following  his  ordination,  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century 
ago,  he  took  charge  of  the  work  he  has  ever  since  successfully 
pastored.  In  addition  he  became  one  of  the  most  prominent 
and  influential  clergymen  of  that  diocese.  For  a  number  of 
years  he  filled  most  acceptably  four  distinct  positions  at  the 
same  time — secretary  of  the  Diocesan  Convention,  editor  of 
the  diocesan  paper,  historiographer,  and  one  of  the  examining 
chaplains.  For  a  number  of  years  past  he  has  ably  edited 
The  Monitor,  one  of  the  ablest  weekly  publications  in  this 
country  devoted  to  the  interests  of  the  colored  race. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

ST.  t'Hll.IPS  CHURCH,   NEWARK,   N.   J. 

This  congicgation  was  instituted  about  the  year  1856. 
The  author  has  never  been  able  to  come  in  possession  of  the 
earliest  records  of  St.  Philips,  Newark.  During  the  eighties 
we  remember  distinctly  the  parish  was  served  by  the  Rev. 
Joshua  B.  Massiah  and  the  Rev.  Thomas  G.  Harper.  Later, 
and  for  a  very  long  time,  its  rector  was  Father  Reeve  Hobbie, 
white,  a  native  of  Maryland,  and  a  firm  and  affectionate 
friend  of  this  author.  Father  Hobbie  was  one  of  the  best 
white  men  thar  nas  ever  pastored  a  colored  congregation,  and 
the  people  of  St.  Philips  were  perfectly  devoted  to  him.  Cer 
tainly  he  was  one  of  the  dearest  friends  we  have  ever  had.  In 
his  very  elegant  home,  for  he  was  a  man  of  some  means,  sur- 
rounded by  his  large  and  interesting  family,  we  always  felt 
completely  at  home  on  the  number  of  occasions  that  we  have 
been  his  guest.  In  1894  Father  Hobbie  attended,  for  the 
first  time,  our  Conference  of  Church  Workers  Among  Col- 
ored People,  held  in  St.  Thomas  Church,  Philadelphia,  in 
connection  with  the  Centennial  of  that  parish.  When  he  saw 
that  striking  "procession"  of  all  the  clerg\^  in  their  vestments 
he  was  perfectly  mtoxicated  with  delight,  and  it  was  then 
and  there  he  decided,  if  possible,  to  secure  a  colored  assis- 
tant, and,  later,  have  his  vestry  elect  him  rector-emeritus, 
and  elect  the  assistant  to  succeed  him  as  rector.  Accordingly 
he  turned  to  us  lo  name  the  man,  but  at  the  same  time  he 
imposed    upon    us    one    restriction.      He    cared    not    a    whit 


122  The  Afro-American  Group 

whether  the  man  selected  was  bright  or  dark  in  complexion, 
but  he  must  be  one  capable  of  sustaining  as  "advanced  ritual" 
as  obtained  in  any  of  our  churches.  We  named  the  Rev.  B, 
Wellington  Paxion,  then  of  Cairo,  111.,  and  he  was  secured 
and  ultimately  maae  rector  of  the  parish. 

Father  Hobbie  was  a  peculiar  man.  He  claimed  the 
right  to  choose  his  own  friends,  and  he  was  discriminate  in 
this  matter  irrespective  of  color.  More  than  any  other  he 
compelled  our  respect  for  "advanced  ritual"  by  reason  of 
the  utter  sincerity  and  reality  with  which  it  was  employed. 
In  few  places  have  we  felt  more  completely  at  home  than 
in  St.  Philips  during  the  days  of  his  incumbency,  as  well  as 
in  his  own  home.  He  thoroughly  appreciated  the  fact  that 
there  existed  great  intellectual  and  social  variety  and  differ- 
ences within  the  colored  group.  Some  years  ago  when  one 
of  our  Church  Conferences  met  in  the  city  of  Boston,  we 
visited  the  old  homestead  of  William  Lloyd  Garrison,  the 
great  Abolitionist,  which  then  had  become  a  Church  institu- 
tion for  members  of  our  racial  group,  and  great  was  our  joy 
to  find  among  the  Sisters  of  that  institution  a  daughter  of  our 
dear  and  much-valued  friend,  Father  Reeve  Hobbie. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

ST.   PHILIPS  CHURCH,   BUFFALO,  N.  Y. 

If  we  mistake  not  St.  Philips,  Buffalo,  was  established  by 
the  late  Bishop  Coxe  in  the  year  1865.  Like  St.  Philips, 
Newark,  w^e  have  been  unable  to  secure  reliable  data  as  to 
its  founding  and  first  days.  The  present  rector  of  St.  Phil- 
ips, the  Rev.  E.  Robert  Bennett,  is  a  son  of  St.  James,  Bal- 
timore. Bishop  Coxe  and  Bishop  Wilmer  of  Alabama,  may 
have  differed  widely  with  respect  to  civil  government,  but 
no  two  men  were  more  at  one  in  their  sentiments  toward 
their  black  brother  than  these  two  noble  Bishops  of  our 
Church,  one  the  symbol  of  all  that  was  good  in  the  old 
Southern  life,  and  the  other  the  highest  expression  of  North- 
ern life,  in  the  good  old  days  of  the  past.  It  was  a  rare  privi- 
lege to  know  such  men  and  enjoy  their  great  esteem.  It  was 
in  the  year  1889  that  Bishop  Coxe  received  the  author  at  the 
Episcopal  residence  in  Buffalo  with  such  warmth  and  af- 
fection that  we  can  never  forget  the  scene.  We  were  then 
at  Norfolk,  in  our  first  charge,  and  were  visiting  Buffalo  in 
response  to  a  "call"  to  St.  Philips.  As  young  as  we  were,  we 
were  in  the  midst  of  a  controversial  fight  occasioned  by  an 
article  of  ours  in  The  Church  of  Today  on  the  Negro  prob- 
lem. The  Bishop  talked  so  lovingly  to  us,  and  was  ready  to 
do  anything  in  his  power  to  have  us  accept  the  call  to  Buffalo. 
Bishop  Coxe  was  something  of  a  fighter,  and  he  was  not 
without  appreciation  of  the  position  which  we  sustained.  We 
could  not  entertain  the   idea  of  seemingly  running  "under 


124  The  Afro-American  Group 

fire."  But,  our  greatest  difficulty  in  accepting  the  call  was 
going  to  Buffalo  at  that  time  was  almost  like  going  to 
an  earthly  heaven.  There  were  but  few  colored  people  in 
that  city,  and  personally,  our  cup  would  have  been  filled  with 
delight.  Somehow,  we  had  it  in  our  heart  to  give  our  life 
for  the  benefit  of  our  racial  group  and  we  wanted  to  be  in 
the  midst  of  much  of  the  rough  material  in  order  to  bring 
out  all  the  possibilities  of  our  nature.  However,  the  extreme 
loveliness  of  Bishop  Coxe  and  the  fact  that  Buffalo  was  the 
only  city  in  this  country  which  we  had  visited  where  the 
colored  Episcopal  Church  was  the  largest  ecclesiastical  racial 
group,  rendered  it  somewhat  difficult  for  us  to  reach  a  de- 
cision. 

We  finally  decided  to  remain  in  Norfolk. 

A  few  years  later  a  call  to  our  liking  came.  It  was  to  a 
hard  and  difficult  field  but  in  the  midst  of  thousands  of  our 
racial  group.  So  we  came  to  Baltimore  and  here  we  are 
today. 

Father  Bennett,  the  present  rector  of  St.  Philips,  has 
gotten  a  new  property  and  very  greatly  built  up  the  parish 
which  was  in  a  state  of  rapid  decline. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

IN   THE   GENERAL   CONVENTION   OF    1868 

The  first  agency  instituted  by  the  General  Church,  fol- 
lowing the  close  of  the  Civil  War  on  behalf  of  the  work  in 
the  Southern  States  among  the  people  recently  emancipated, 
was  "The  Freedman's  Commission."  With  respect  to  this 
effort  in  the  General  Convention  of  1868,  the  Domestic  and 
Foreign  Missionary  Society  of  the  Church  reported  as  fol- 
lows : 

"The  Freedman's  Commission  authorized  b\  the  Gen- 
eral Convention  and  formally  organized  by  the  Board  of 
Missions  in  1865,  presents  a  statement  of  its  work  during 
the  three  years  past  which  will  challenge  your  attention.  It 
has  received  from  all  sources  over  $87,000,  and  at  the  close 
of  the  summer  had  5,500  children  under  its  nurturing  care. 
What  has  been  done  by  us  in  this  field  must  be  regarded 
rather  as  an  evidence  of  our  good  wishes  towards  these  eman- 
cipated millions  of  the  South  than  as  a  work  commensurate 
with  our  responsibility  or  with  the  demands  of  the  hour.  We 
can  claim  no  more  than  that  we  have  tried  to  do  something 
to  educate  a  race  suddenly  elevated  to  political  power  and 
equality  in  the  midst  of  their  ignorance  and  inexperience.  It 
is  the  conviction  of  your  committee,  after  careful  considera- 
tion of  all  the  facts  that  while  schools  alone  are  valuable 
agents,  they  will  not  accomplish  their  full  purpose  nor 
realize  the  full  intention  of  the  Church  unless  thev  are  con- 


126  The  Afro- American  Group 

nected  with  permanent  missionary  work,  and  prosecuted  un- 
der the  supervision  of  the  resident  parochial  clergy  or  of 
the  duly  appointed  missionaries  of  the  Church.  Experience 
shows  that  the  Negro  will  value  the  school  only  for  the  secu- 
lar knowledge  it  imparts  unless  he  be  made  to  feel  the 
Church  working  in  and  through  the  school  as  his  spiritual 
guide  as  w^ell  as  his  temporal  benefactor.  The  Church  has 
no  proper  call  to  engage  in  the  work  of  school  teaching  at 
all  except  as  she  can  make  it  subserve  her  dominant  purpose, 
viz:  the  gathering  into  her  fold  for  religious  instruction  and 
discipline  of  those  whom  she  teaches  in  her  schools.  The 
school  and  the  mission,  or  the  school  and  the  parish  should 
not,  as  a  rule,  have  been  disconnected.  To  the  fact  that  they 
have  been,  that  the  commission  confined  itself  to  schools 
alone  is  due  the  feeble  and  superficial  influence  which  the 
Church  as  such  has  thus  far  exerted  over  that  race.  The 
time  has  come  when  unless  the  commission  can  be  brought  to 
subserve  a  strictly  missionary  use  it  may  as  well  be  abandoned 

as  a  work  of  the  Church The  true  order  of  the 

work  is  the  mission  first  and  then  the  school,  the  one  the 
chief,  the  other  the  auxiliary.  For  this  kind  of  work  there 
is  a  demand  which  no  words  of  your  committee  can  ade- 
quately describe." 


The  result  of  this  report  was  the  adoption  of  this  resolu- 


tion 


''ResrAved,  That  this  House  regarding  with  increasing 
solicitude  the  missionary  work  of  the  Church  among  the 
Freedmen,  and  deeply  lamenting  that  so  little  has  been  done 
in  this  direction,  make  the  following  recommendations  to 
the  Board  of  Missions: 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  127 

1st.  That  one  or  more  missionaries  be  appointed  to  visit 
the  freedmen  in  the  Southern  Dioceses  who  were  formerly 
communicants  of  the  Church,  to  examine  their  condition  and 
to  ascertain  what  can  be  done  to  revive  their  former  attach- 
ment and  relation  to  the  Church. 

2nd.  That  the  schools  established  by  the  Freedmen's 
Commission  be  henceforth  treated  as  more  directly  auxiliary 
to  the  missionary  work,  and  that  such  as  shall  be  organized 
hereafter  be  placed  under  the  di-rect  influence  of  the  clergy- 
men within  whose  parishes  or  missionary  stations  the\'  may 
be  established. 

3rd.  That  every  effort  ought  to  be  made  at  once  to  pre- 
pare colored  men  for  the  ministry,  so  that  they  may  minister 
to  their  own  people." 

There  are  some  other  notes  in  diocesan  reports,  which 
are  illuminating  with  respect  to  conditions  at  that  time. 

Bishop  Young,  of  Florida,  says:  "It  is  deemed  proper 
here  to  state,  that  in  this,  as  in  every  Southern  Diocese,  there 
is  an  earnest  desire,  to  the  extent  of  our  ability,  which  is 
unhappily  very  limited  in  comparison  with  the  last  need,  to 
provide  for  the  intellectual  and  spiritual  necessities  of  the 
colored  race.  The  last  report  on  the  State  of  the  Church 
makes  mention  of  some  encouraging  signs  in  this  direction, 
so  that  no  one  who  may  feel  so  disposed  in  his  heart,  need  be 
under  apprehension  in  approaching  the  Bishop,  the  clergy, 
the  people  of  the  Church  in  Florida,  and  offering  any  aid, 
especially  for  the  benefit  of  this  particular  people,  an  impor- 
tant part  of  the  Church  care." 

Bishop  Beckwith,  of  Georgia,  says:  "The  number  of 
communicants  reported  at  the  Convention  of  this  diocese  in 
1866,  indicates  a  falling  off  of  more  than  six  hundred.  This 
large  loss  is  due  for  the  most  part  to  the  altered  condition 
of  the  colored  population  of  the  State." 


128  The  Afro-Am ericax  Group 

Bishop  Atkinson,  North  Carolina,  sounds  a  very  en- 
couraging note.  He  says:  "The  establishment  of  St.  Augus- 
tine's Normal  School  at  Raleigh,  under  the  charge  of  the 
Rev.  J.  Brinton  Smith,  D.  D.,  for  the  education  of  colored 
scholars  of  both  sexes,  who  are  to  bind  themselves  to  become 
teachers  for  a  certain  number  of  years,  of  the  ignorant  of 
their  own  race,  promises  to  be  of  incalculable  benefit  to  that 
class  of  our  population  who  so  much  need  the  influence  of 
religious  education  to  enable  them  rightly  to  understand  and 
enjoy  the  duties  and  privileges  of  freedom." 

Bishop  Davis,  of  South  Carolina,  says:  "The  number  of 
communicants  in  the  diocese  has  been  much  reduced  by  the 
loss  of  our  colored  members.  In  1860  we  had  nearly  three 
thousand  colored  communicants  reported.  Not  three  hun- 
dred were  reported  to  the  last  Convention.  In  the  condi- 
tion of  many  of  our  parishes  it  is  impossible  to  ascertain  how 
many  of  the  freedmen  still  adhere  to  the  Church.  Many 
have  joined  the  Northern  Methodists.  Many  have  followed 
teachers  of  their  own  color ;  but  if  our  services  were  revived 
in  our  suspended  parishes,  we  might  hope  to  rescue  some  of 
them  from  the  fanatical  and  political  preaching  to  which  they 
are  subjected.  In  one  parish  only  have  they  adhered  to  the 
Church.  Two  congregations  of  colored  worshippers  have 
been  gathered  together,  as  in  former  days,  to  make  their 
chapels  resound  with  their  hearty  prayers  and  praise.  But 
this  is  the  only  successful  effort  to  win  them  back  to  our  fold. 
These  remarks  apply  to  the  freedmen.  In  the  city  of  Charles- 
ton there  is  a  self-supporting  church  of  free  colored  mem- 
bers who  have  adhered  steadily  to  the  Episcopal  Church, 
under  the  care  of  a  white  rector." 


CHAPTER  XV. 

IN  THE  GENERAL  CONVENTION   OF    1871 

Bishop  Atkinson  says:  "The  efforts  in  this  diocese  for 
the  spiritual  improvement  of  the  colored  race  are  not  as 
promising  of  good  results  as  are  desired  by  the  friends  of  the 
freedmen.  While  in  some  few  places  they  seem  to  appre- 
ciate the  teachings  and  ministrations  of  the  Church,  in  most 
cases  they  have  separated  themselves  from  the  ministry  of 
the  Church,  and  given  themselves  to  the  guidance  of  igno- 
rant teachers  of  their  own  race,  who  are  leading  them  into 
the  wildest  excesses  of  delusion  and  fanaticism." 

The  Domestic  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society,  in  its 
report  says:  "There  are  now  about  forty  teachers  at  the 
South,  and  twenty-two  hundred  children  under  its  charge. 
It  is  the  aim  of  the  commission  to  make  the  schools  it  has 
established  essentially  Christian,  and  to  incorporate  them 
into  parochial  life.  Instructed  by  the  voice  of  the  board,  it 
would  have  gladly  lent  its  aid  to  the  Bishops  of  the  Church 
in  sustaining,  on  some  adequate  scale,  a  living,  faithful  pas- 
torate for  our  colored  population,  but  it  has  been  beyond  its 
power.  The  crying  want  of  this  people  is  spiritual  ministra- 
tion. They  are  left  emphatically  "as  sheep  without  a  shep- 
herd," after  falling  a  prey  to  irreligion  and  error,  and  some- 
times, it  is  said,  to  the  grossest  forms  of  superstition.  Does 
it  not  become  this  Church,  which  formerly  did  so  much  for 
their  spiritual  care  and  nurture,  to  interpose  between  them 
and  the  gulf  into  which  they  are  in  danger  of  plunging?" 


130  The  Afro-Am i-ricax  Group 

In  connection  with  this  suhject  the  following  resolutions 
were  presented  and  adopted : 

"Resolved ,  That  the  work  of  missions  among  the  colored 
people  demands  and  deserves  the  hearty,  united  and  systematic 
support  of  all  the  memhers  of  this  Church.  Resolved,  That 
while  abating  in  no  respect  the  duty  of  Christian  education, 
greater  prominence  be  given  to  strictly  missionary  and  pas- 
toral labors  among  this  class  of  our  Southern  population, 
whereby  they  may  be  saved  from  total  loss  to  the  Church, 
and  from  relapse  into  the  grossest  forms  of  superstition  from 
which  their  fathers  were  rescued." 

The  same  report  has  the  following  reference  to  the  work 
in  Africa: 

"Upon  the  western  coast  of  the  continent  of  Africa, 
where,  a  half  century  ago,  only  darkness  was  visible,  there  is 
now  a  fringe  of  light.  In  a  region  once  devoted  to  idolatry 
and  cruelty,  a  Christian  civilization  has  taken  up  its  abode, 
and  bearers  of  the  Cross,  in  the  true  spirit  of  martyrs,  have 
carried  thither  its  blessings. 

"It  is  somewhat  disheartening  that  our  faithful  and  self- 
sacrificing  Bishop  for  Cape  Palmas  and  parts  adjacent,  who 
temporarily  sought  relief  from  climate  and  toil  by  a  return 
to  his  native  land,  is  at  length  obliged  to  w^ithdraw  altogether 
from  his  foreign  charge.  It  is  dispiriting  also  at  this  point  of 
time,  to  see  but  one  white  missionary  of  his  former  stalif  re- 
maining at  his  post.  Death  or  disease  has  taken  away  the 
rest.  But  a  handful  of  Christian  women,  exiles  from  home 
for  their  Savior's  sake,  and  twelve  colored  clergymen,  Liber- 
ian  or  native,  are  diligently  employed  with  a  small  band  of 
catechist,  in  the  interest  of  the  mission.     Nine  churches  and 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  131 

seventeen  stations,  four  hundred  and  fifty  communicants,  a 
thousand  children  under  Christian  instruction,  a  hospital, 
an  orphan  asylum,  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  in  the  Grebo 
tongue,  and  a  stated  ministry  of  word  and  Sacraments  in 
the  midst  of  a  region  swarming  with  inhabitants,  are  the 
present  palpable  fruits  of  this  Christian  enterprise.  It  is 
proposed  to  establish  interior  stations  near  the  highland 
country,  by  which  tribes  of  a  superior  order  will  be  brought 
under  influence.  The  movement  is  prompted  by  the  appli- 
cation of  the  natives.  It  should  not  fail  to  command  the 
countenance  and  help  of  the  Church.  At  a  time  when  the 
missionaries  of  Mohammedan  error  are  penetrating  that 
country  in  every  direction  to  make  converts  to  the  Crescent, 
ought  not  the  followers  of  the  world's  true  Prophet  to  rival 
them  in  zeal  for  the  Cross  of  Christ?" 

This  is  significant,  from  the  Convention  Journal  of  South 
Carolina,  for  the  year  1871:  "The  Rev.  E.  L.  Logan  re- 
ports increased  efiforts  among  the  poor  whites  in  his  parish, 
who  are  in  a  state  of  moral  and  spiritual  darkness  as  deplor- 
able as  the  heathen,  worse  off  than  the  Negroes."  He  is  of 
the  opinion  that  the  colored  people  can  be  won  over  by  in- 
dividuals, that  his  hopes  of  them  coming  over  en  masse  hav'e 
diminished  with  further  experience." 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


THE    MISSION    SCHOOLS 


The  Freedman's  Commission  Schools  in  the  South,  were 
instrumental  of  great  good  to  the  black  people.  Particularly 
the  one  at  Petersburg,  Va.,  in  charge  of  Misses  Amanda 
Aiken,  Sallie  Coombs  and  Miriam.  The  formation  of  St. 
Stephen's  Church,  Petersburg,  was  under  the  guidance  and 
direction  of  the  ladies  of  this  school.  Two  of  their  pupils 
who  could  neither  read  nor  write  at  the  beginning  were, 
finally  sent  to  Lincoln  University,  Pa.,  where,  after  grad- 
uation, they  were  fitted  for  the  ministry  of  the  Church,  or- 
dained, and  gave  forth  magnificent  records  of  service.  These 
men  were  the  Rev.  Thomas  W.  Cain,  w^ho  labored  in  Vir- 
ginia and  in  the  diocese  of  Texas.  He  twice  represented  the 
diocese  of  Texas  in  the  General  Convention  of  the  Church, 
and  lost  his  life,  faithful  at  the  post  of  duty  in  the  great 
Galveston  disaster.  It  is  peculiarly  interesting  to  note  the 
following  fact  with  respect  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Cain.  Mr. 
Cain,  although  a  man,  at  the  end  of  the  Civil  War,  could 
neither  read  nor  write.  His  father  was  sexton  of  Grace 
Church,  Petersburg,  and  one  of  the  vestrymen  of  that  church, 
employing  Mr.  Cain,  Sr.,  as  sexton,  was  Mr.  S.  M.  Byrd. 
Later  Mr.  Byrd  entered  the  ministry  and  became  the  leading 
clergyman  in  the  diocese  of  Texas.  In  the  history  of  mis- 
sions we  have  this  unusual  picture  of  these  two  men  sitting 
together  in  two  successive  General  Conventions  representing 
the  diocese  of  Texas.     One,  of  the  very  best  Virginia  blood 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  133 

and  highest  social  standing ;  the  other  a  former  illiterate  slave 
whose  father  had  been  employed  by  the  former. 

From  the  influence  and  impress  of  this  same  Grace 
Church,  Petersburg,  went  forth  Peter  Andrew  Morgan.  He 
labored  in  Philadelphia,  New  York,  Brooklyn,  Petersburg, 
and  finally.  New  Orleans,  where  he  entered  into  rest. 

It  was  while  Bishop  Leonard,  of  Ohio,  was  a  rector  in 
Brooklyrx,  N.  Y.,  in  his  early  ministry  that  he  began  to  take 
the  first  lessons  in  a  life  which  has  been  most  remarkable 
from  that  time  to  the  present  for  its  affectionate  and  con- 
structive help  in  work  among  the  colored  race.  It  was  Bishop 
Leonard  who  heartened  and  cheered  Peter  Andrew  Morgan 
in  those  hard  days  of  struggle  in  Brooklyn. 

Besides  the  mission  school  work  these  Northern  ladies 
filled  with  the  true  missionary  spirit,  entered  the  humble 
homes  of  many  of  the  freedmen  and  greatly  helped  in  the  re- 
construction of  such  homes,  along  the  lines  demanded  by  the 
new  order  of  affairs.  One  of  the  most  beautiful  and  really 
touching  chapters  in  the  record  of  these  days,  is  that  which 
pictures  the  heroism,  bravery  and  unswerving  devotion  of 
these  Northern  white  women.  The  same  thing  was  true  of 
the  white  women  of  the  South  of  quality  and  breeding. 

In  the  county  of  Brunswick,  Virginia,  in  the  very  heart 
of  "the  black  belt,"  during  the  latter  part  of  the  seventies 
and  early  eighties,  Mrs.  "Pattie"  Buford,  a  cultivated  South- 
ern lady  of  refinement,  gave  up  herself  completely  in  minis- 
tering as  an  angel  of  mercy  among  the  poorest  of  the  poor 
of  these  black  people,  and  by  her  wonderful  devotion  won 
the  love  and  confidence  of  the  colored  people  of  that  entire 
region.  Through  her  influence  a  young  colored  man  entered 
the  Church  who  was  destined  to  prove  the  most  conspicuous 
constructive  leader  for  his  people  of  all  our  colored  clergy 


134  The  Afro-Americax  Group 

in  his  day  and  generation.  This  young  man  was  James  Solo- 
mon Russell  of  the  adjoining  county  of  Mecklenburg.  At  the 
time  of  the  present  writing,  in  addition  to  the  St.  Paul 
School,  Lawrenceville,  called  into  being  by  him,  for  well- 
nigh  thirty  years  he  has  most  acceptably  filled  the  post  of 
Archdeacon  of  the  colored  work  in  the  diocese  of  Southern 
Virginia.  Mrs.  Buford  founded  a  hospital  and  infirmary  in 
the  county  of  Brunswick  for  the  needy  colored  people,  of 
that  section.  By  her  influence  also  an  entire  religious  body 
of  one  Bishop,  some  twenty  or  more  ministers  and  about 
2,000  members  professed  themselves  as  ready  and  desirous 
to  enter  the  Episcopal  Church.  By  some  means  the  move- 
ment miscarried ;  but  the  Bishop  and  a  number  of  the  minis- 
ters, actually  entered  the  Church,  and  were  prepared  for  the 
diaconate  at  the  Bishop  Payne  Divinity  School.  As  a  furth- 
er result  of  the  feeling  towards  the  Church  thus  created, 
large  congregations  of  colored  Episcopalians  were  soon  form- 
ed in  the  counties  where  this  religious  body  w^as  principally 
situated. 

In  connection  with  the  work  of  Rev.  Giles  B.  Cooke,  a 
former  stafif  officer  of  General  Robert  E.  Lee,  as  rector  of  St. 
Stephen's  Church,  Petersburg  and  principal  of  St.  Stephen's 
Normal  School,  were  associated  as  teachers  a  number  of 
white  ladies  of  the  best  families  of  Virginia,  such  as  the 
Misses  Beckwith  (sisters  of  the  Bishop  of  Alabama),  Misses 
Weddell,  Mrs.  Giles  B.  Cooke  and  others.  There  was  also 
in  or  near  Gordonsville,  Va.,  a  Mrs.  Brent  who  also  main- 
tained in  those  days  a  most  interesting  work  on  behalf  of 
Negroes.  Any  number  of  colored  Sunday  Schools  in  divers 
parts  of  Virginia  w^ere  taught  by  native  white  teachers. 

In  Lunenburg  county  Mrs.  M.  M.  Jennings,  the  mother 
of  Mrs.  Joseph  S.  Atwell,  for  many  years  on  her  own  estate, 
maintained    an   exceedingly   interesting  educational   and    re- 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  135 

ligious  work;  while  Mrs.  Miles  in  Halifax  county,  pursued 
the  same  course.  The  Rev.  Dr.  George  W.  Dame,  in  addi- 
tion to  his  clerical  duties  as  rector  of  a  parish  in  the  city  of 
Danville,  for  a  time  was  superintendent  of  public  education 
for  Pittsylvania  county;  and.  in  this  capacity,  he  was  among 
the  first  to  introduce  colored  teachers  in  the  colored  public 
schools  of  the  State.  These  teachers,  for  the  most  part,  were 
trained  in  St.  Stephen's  Normal  School,  Petersburg,  Va.  Mr. 
John  H.  M.  Pollard  was  sent  out  from  this  school  as  a 
teacher  in  northern  Virginia,  and  it  was  while  thus  engaged 
that  he  was  privately  prepared  for  the  ministry  by  the  Rev. 
William  M.  Dame,  D.  D.,  at  that  time  rector  of  Christ 
Church,  Alexandria,  Va. 

An  extremely  large  colored  Sunday  School  was  being 
carried  on  in  the  city  of  Alexandria.  Many  such  efforts  as 
we  have  briefly  alluded  to  were  carried  on  under  white  in- 
fluence in  various  sections  of  the  South. 

Of  all  names  in  connection  with  the  rise  of  St.  Stephens 
Church,  Petersburg,  that  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Alexander  W. 
Weddell  is  first.  While  yet  a  layman  he  became  their 
acknowledged  leader  and  most  aftectionate  champion. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

AFTER   THE    CIVIL   WAR 

It  may  not  be  generally  known,  but  previous  to  the  Civil 
War,  all  Negroes  were  not  treated  alike.  There  were  dif- 
ferent classes  of  Negroes  then  as  exist  today.  Quite  a  num- 
ber of  the  "elect"  of  the  race  enjoyed  exceptional  favors  and 
privileges  because  of  their  calibre  and  many  amiable  quali- 
ties. In  Charleston  there  were  a  considerable'  number  who 
were  respected  communicants  of  white  parishes  and  were 
treated  with  marked  respect.  The  same  thing  existed  in 
other  parts  of  the  South. 

A  Mr.  James  Bishop  of  Annapolis,  Md.,  was  a  "pew" 
owner  in  St.  Annes  Church,  that  city,  situated  almost  in  the 
center  of  the  building.  Many  years  after  the  war  this  author 
while  on  a  visit  to  Annapolis  attending  morning  service  at 
St.  Annes  Church,  occupied  a  seat  in  the  family  pew  with 
others  of  the  Bishop  family. 

Senator  John  P.  Green,  of  Cleveland,  O.,  in  his  book, 
has  this  most  interesting  account  w^ith  respect  to  his  own 
father  and  Christ  Church,  New  Berne,  N.  C.     He  says: 

"Unquestionably  my  father  possessed  a  great  desire  for 
literar5^  attainments,  and  did  his  utmost  to  reach  to  some 
excellence  along  that  line.  This  talent  on  his  part  was  recog- 
nized during  all  his  life.  Men  of  learning  and  discrimina- 
tion sought  him  in  his  store  and  engaged  him  in  conversation 
to  such  an  extent  that  much  of  his  valuable  time  was  lost  in 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  137 

this  way,  and  even  the  Bishops  of  the  Episcopal  Church  (of 
which  he  was  a  member) — Bishops  Ives  and  Atkinson,  re- 
spectively— always  visited  and  conversed  with  him  when 
they  made  their  Episcopal  visits  to  old  Christ  Church  in  that 
town. 

"In  this  connection  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  state  that 
although  born  and  reared  a  slave,  and  residing  in  a  slave 
community,  my  daddy  so  deported  himself  as  to  merit  and 
receive  kind  and  courteous  treatment  from  all.  He  owned 
and  occupied  with  his  family  a  pew  in  Christ  Episcopal 
Church,  which  was  the  most  wealthy  and  aristocratic  congre- 
gation in  that  part  of  the  State ;  while  the  other  members, 
with  two  exceptions,  sat  in  the  galleries ;  and  as  proving  how 
tenacious  he  was  of  what  he  conceived  to  be  his  rights,  it  may 
be  stated  that  when  the  Rev.  Dr.  Buxton,  (white)  clergy- 
man of  the  Episcopal  Church,  married  him  and  my  mother 
in  Fayetteville,  N.  C,  in  1837,  and  did  not  wear  his  clerical 
robe,  he  would  not  give  him  a  bill  which  he  carried  in  his 
vest  pocket  for  him." 

It  should  be  stated  just  here  that  the  elder  Green  at  the 
age  of  twenty-one,  when  his  apprenticeship  was  ended,  was 
the  proud  possessor  of  one  thousand  dollars,  which  he  had 
earned  by  doing  extra  work  during  his  spare  hours;  with 
this  money  he  purchased  his  own  freedom  and  began  business 
for  himself  as  a  merchant  tailor. 

But  we  have  been  writing  of  the  few  exceptional  charac- 
ters among  the  race.  The  great  bulk  of  Episcopal  Negroes 
received  their  spiritual  ministrations  through  special  agencies 
and  chaplains.  Hence,  following  the  close  of  the  Civil  War, 
many  of  them  broke  away  from  such  special  ministrations  and 
followed  the  leadership  of  men  of  their  own  race.  This 
ladical  change  of  affairs  constituted  a  sore  trial  and  problem 
for   the    Southern    Bishops   who   were   minded   to   shepherd 


138  The  Afro-American  Group 

both  races  in  the  one  fold,  and,  at  the  same  time  fully  recog- 
nize the  change  made  in  the  civil  relations  of  the  people  just 
emancipated.  A  few  brief  extracts  from  the  early  Conven- 
tion addresses  of  Southern  Bishops  will  clearly  indicate  their 
mind  in  not  sanctioning  any  discrimination  on  account  of 
race  or  color,  and  in  extending  the  heartiest  possible  welcome 
to  the  freedmen.  A  careful  reader  of  such  addresses  will  not 
fail  to  be  impressed  with  the  deep  sincerity  and  earnestness 
of  the  Bishops  with  respect  to  this  matter. 

1866.  Bishop  Smith,  Kentucky:  "I  have  had  oc- 
casion to  allude  twice  to  St.  Marks  African  Church 
on  Green  street — to  the  ordination  of  its  minister, 
and  the  first  Confirmation  there.  The  mission  and 
the  high  school  connected  with  it,  which  was  char- 
tered by  the  Legislature  last  winter,  without  much 
encouragement  by  the  clergy Almost  remark- 
able have  been  the  providences  which  brought  the 
minister  and  the  teacher  here  (Mr.  and  Mrs.  At- 
well)  who  are  now  carrying  on  the  work  so  well 
and  so  successfully,  and  which  have  supplied  from 
abroad  the  greater  part  of  the  means  to  sustain  the 
enterprise,  until  such  time  as  this  Convention  and 
this  community  shall  be  aroused  to  some  just  con- 
ception of  the  solemn  responsibility  which  rests  upon 
us  to  take  care  of  this  class  of  Christ's  neglected 
poor  among  us  under  the  sheltering  wing  of  the 
Church  we  love  so  well." 

1866.  Bishop  Atkitisofi,  North  Carolina:  "When 
then,  we  ask  ourselves  whether  we  shall  have  col- 
ored ministers  or  not,  we  really  ask  ourselves  wheth- 
er we  shall  have  ministers  for  the  colored  race  or 
not.  And  is  it  to  be  endured  that  a  Church  which 
claims  to  be  the  Catholic  and  Apostolic  Church  in 
North  Carolina  shall  systematically  refuse  to  do 
anything  for  the  religious  welfare  of  one-third  of 
the  people  of   North   Carolina?  Shall  we,  like  the 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  139 

priest  and  Levite,  see  the  wounded  man  lying  half- 
dead  and  pass  by  on  the  other  side  and  leave  him  to 
be  ministered  to  by  some  hated  Samaritan?  This 
would  be  to  confute  our  own  pretensions,  and  it  is 
to  be  remembered  with  regard  to  this  subject,  as  with 
regard  to  schools,  that  the  question  is  not  whether 
there  shall  be  colored  ministers,  but  what  sort  of 
colored  ministers  there  shall  be.  Colored  ministers 
have  been,  are,  and  will  be  amongst  us.  Shall  they 
be  men  taught  in  the  Church,  ruled  by  the  Church, 
imparting  the  doctrines  of  the  Church,  or  shall  they 
be  fanatics  and  political  emissaries  self-commissioned 
or  sent  by  some  foreign,  and  it  may  be,  hostile  so- 
ciety." 

1867.  Bishop  Ou'intard,  Tennessee:  "Let  us  at 
once,  dear  brethren,  prove  to  the  world  that  we  are 
fully  alive  to  the  physical  and  intellectual  well-be- 
ing of  a  people  who  were  once  ours  in  bonds,  but 
are  now  our  brethren  in  the  blessed  Gospel  of  the 
grace  of  God."  Tennessee  Committee,  of  the  same 
year:  "It  is  exceedingly  desirable  not  only  to  do  all 
in  our  power  to  promote  the  general  welfare  of  the 
freed  people  who  dwell  among  us,  but  also  to  bring 
the  youth  and  the  adult  population  under  the  in- 
fluence of  the  Church,  and  that  steps  should  be  tak- 
en at  the  earliest  possible  moment  looking  towards 
the  education  of  the  more  intelligent  for  the  sacred 
ministry  in  order  that  they  may  be  qualified  to  do 
the  Church's  work  among  those  of  their  color." 

1868.  Bishop  Young,  Florida:  "I  have  thought 
much  and  anxiously  on  this  subject,  beloved  breth- 
ren, since  I  assumed  the  responsibility  of  the  episco- 
pate of  this  diocese,  and  I  can  conceive  of  nothing 
so  direct  and  hopeful  in  its  results  as  to  provide  for 
the  elementary  education  at  least,  of  the  better  class 
of  their  present  ministers;  for  their  accepted  reli- 
gious teachers  and  guides  they  are  and  will  continue 
to  be.  They  are  to  their  clans  as  chiefs  to  tribes, 
and  whether  thev  talk  sense  or  nonsense,  teach  fet- 


140  The  Afro-Americax  Group 

ishism  or  Christianity,  advise  them  to  pursue  the 
evil  or  the  good,  they  will  heed  their  teaching  and 
follow  their  guidance,  for  they  thoroughly  believe 
in  them.  To  operate  on  the  masses,  therefore,  we 
must  direct  their  leaders.  So  settled  are  my  convic- 
tions on  this  subject,  that  I  am  resolved,  if  the  means 
can  be  had,  to  establish  a  school  for  this  purpose. 
Many  churchmen,  perhaps,  would  disap- 
prove of  such  an  undertaking,  and  wonder  that  so 
un-Churchly  a  scheme  could  be  thought  by  the  Bish- 
op of  Florida.  But  will  such  tell  us  of  something 
better  that  can  be  done?  For  surely  no  Christian 
can  maintain  that  it  is  better  to  do  nothing." 

1869.  Bishop  Johns,  Virginia:  "I  must  express 
my  gratitude  for  the  favorable  circumstances  under 
which  this  congregation  (St.  Stephens,  Petersburg) 
commences  its  course,  I  trust  of  increased  prosperity 
and  usefulness This  first  complete  organiza- 
tion of  a  congregation  of  this  kind  in  this  diocese 
commences  with  encouraging  prospects.  I  trust 
that  under  Gid's  blessing  it  will  prove  a  safe  and 
edifying  example  and  pattern  to  be  successfully  fol- 
lowed by  many  others." 

1873.  Bishop  Beckwith,  Georgia:  "The  popula- 
tion of  this  State  is  over  one  million ;  of  this  number 
four  hundred  thousand  are  colored  people.  Does 
the  Church  owe  a  duty  to  this  people?  If  so,  how 
can  she  best  perform  that  duty?  There  is  no  diffi- 
culty as  to  the  first  question.  The  Church  does  owe 
them  a  duty.  The  second  is  full  of  difficulty.  I  do 
not  propose  to  discuss  it;  my  desire  is  to  induce  you 

to  think  of  it Why  should  not  the  Church 

send  a  missionary  Bishop  to  these  four  hundred 
thousand  colored  people?" 

1873.  Bishop  Howe,  South  Carolina:  "I  find 
myself  inclined  to  think  at  least  from  present  obser- 
vations and  reflections,  that  if  our  Church  is  to  do 
any  work  of  moment  among  this  people,  it  must  be 
done  by  the  Church  at  large.     Let  a   Missionary 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  141 

Jurisdiction  be  erected  by  the  General  Convention 
with  express  reference  to  these  people,  and  let  a 
missionary  Bishop  be  consecrated  who  shall  give  his 
whole  time  and  thought  to  this  work;  who,  as  the 
executive,  not  of  a  single  diocese,  but  of  the  entire 
Church,  shall  organize  congregations,  provide  them 
with  Church  schools  and  pastors,  and  in  due  time 
raise  up  from  among  the  colored  people  themselves 
deacons  and  priests  who  shall  be  educated  men,  and 

competent  to  the  work  of  the  ministry It 

would  seem  as  if  the  Church,  even  in  lack  of  prece 
dent,  ought  to  be  able  to  provide  for  our  perplexity." 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

FIGHTING    AGAINST    IGNORANCE 

Of  all  the  pioneer  laborers  in  the  educational  field  among 
the  masses  of  ignorant  colored  people,  before  the  Civil  War, 
none  deserve  more  hearty  appreciation  than  Dr.  Daniel 
Alexander  Payne,  Bishop  John  M.  Brown,  and  the  few 
others  in  the  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  who 
labored  so  heroically  in  the  face  of  almost  incredible  indiff- 
erence and  opposition,  within  the  group  itself. 

An  extract  from  Bishop  Payne's  early  effort,  and  a  clip- 
ping from  the  denominational  organ  of  those  times  will  give 
some  idea  of  the  inveterate  opposition  manifested  towards 
education  by  many  of  the  leaders  in  the  African  Methodist 
Church  itself. 

Dr.  Payne,  a  Lutheran  minister,  and  a  man  of  great 
education,  in  1842,  was  received  "on  trial"  into  the  A.  M. 
E.  Church,  by  the  Philadelphia  Conference.  He  at  once  set 
to  work  to  prepare  a  scheme  of  instruction  for  the  ministry 
of  his  church,  which  was  adopted  by  the  Philadelphia  Con- 
ference. That  same  year,  1844,  the  General  Conference  of 
the  connection  met  in  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  and  he  introduced 
before  that  body  the  same  measure  with  what  success  will 
appear  from  the  extract  given  in  his  own  words: 

"Upon  this  day  the  Rev.  Daniel  A.  Payne  introduced  a 
resolution  to  institute  a  course  of  studies  for  the  education  of 
the  ministry.  As  soon  as  read  it  was  seconded,  and,  con- 
vinced as  he  was  of  the  reasonableness  and  the  utility  of  the 
measure,    he   thought   that   the   majority  of   the   Conference 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  143 

looked  at  it  in  the  same  favorable  light,  and  that  it  would 
be  carried  without  much  opposition;  he,  therefore,  did  not 
make  any  speech  for  the  purpose  of  convincing  his  brethren 
of  that  utility  and  excellence  which  he  believed  was  appa- 
rent to  all. 

"But  in  that  he  calculated  without  his  hosts,  for  as  soon 
as  the  Bishop  had  put  the  question  to  the  house,  the  effect 
was  like  unto  that  which  follows  when  a  fife-brand  is  cast 
into  a  magazine  of  powder.  With  the  greatest  apparent  in- 
dignation the  resolution  was  voted  down  by  a  large  and 
overwhelming  majority,  and  the  house  adjourned  amid  great 
excitement.  The  next  day,  the  fifth  of  the  session,  as  soon  as 
the  house  was  opened,  and  first  of  all,  Rev.  A.  D.  Lewis, 
a  brother  of  lofty  stature,  venerable  apeaprance,  dignified 
mien  and  delectable  countenance,  rose  to  his  feet  and  called 
for  a  re-consideration  of  the  rejected  proposition.  His  mo- 
tion was  seconded  and  stated  by  the  chair. 

"This  venerable  man  then  advocated  its  claims  and 
demonstrated  its  utility  in  a  speech  of  uncommon  eloquence 
and  power.  He  addressed  the  understanding,  the  conscience, 
the  passions  of  the  audience,  'till  it  was  bathed  in  tears,  and 
from  many  a  voice  was  heard  the  impassionate  cry,  'give  us 
the  resolution;  give  us  the  resolution.'  It  was  then  put  and 
carried  without  a  dissenting  voice." 

Such  a  remarkable  change  of  front  and  attitude  wrought 
over  night  needs  some  explanation.  The  historian  gives  it  as 
follows : 

'It  is  also  proper  here  to  say  that  the  indignation  evinced 
outside  of  the  General  Conference  by  the  intelligent  laity, 
was  equal  to  that  excited  inside  among  the  prejudiced  preach- 
ers.    Between  the  rejection  of  the  resolution  in  favor  of  edii- 


144  The  Afro-Am ericax  Group 

cation  on  the  4th,  and  its  re-consideration  and  adoption  on 
the  5th,  wherever  the  preachers  went  they  were  informed 
that  if  the  proposition  to  educate  the  ministry  of  the  African 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  were  absolutely  rejected,  they 
would  withdraw  and  organize  an  ecclessiastical  establishment 
that  would  be  in  favor  of  such  a  measure." 

The  year  preceeding,  1843,  at  the  Baltimore  Conference, 
Dr.  Payne  had  engaged  in  a  similar  fight.  He  gives  the 
following  account  of  the  same : 

'*An  itinerant  licentiate  by  the  name  of  Adam  S.  Driver 
made  application  for  the  Orders  of  a  Deacon,  at  the  same 
time  that  the  Quarterly  Conference  of  Bethel,  in  Baltimore, 
petitioned  the  Annual  Conference  to  ordain  Brother  Savage 
L.  Hammonds  and  Thomas  Hall,  two  local  licentiates,  to 
the  same  rank  in  the  ministry.  These  three  brethren  were 
put  in  the  hands  of  a  committee,  consisting  of  D.  A.  Payne, 
John  Boggs  and  Thomas  W.  Henry,  for  nomination. 

"The  following  statement  will  show  what  was  the  re- 
sult of  this  examination.  It  also  show^s  the  first  open  con- 
flict between  the  advocates  of  ministerial  education  and  the 
defenders  of  an  illiterate  ministry: 

''A  majority  of  the  committee  was  in  favor  of  ordaining 
the  three  candidates.  The  minority  was  opposed  to  it. 
Therefore,  two  reports  w^ere  made  out  and  presented  to  the 
Conference.  The  reasons  assigned  by  the  majority  were,  in 
the  case  of  one  of  the  candidates,  that  a  christening  or  a  mar- 
raige  might  be  desired  when  the  elder  in  charge  might  be  at 
one  end  of  the  circuit,  and  the  minister,  though  upon  the 
spot,  would  be  unable  to  act ;  another  reason  given  in  another 
case  was  that  though  there  was  no  special  need  for  the  broth- 
er in  question,  'he  might  be  ordained  to  gratify  the  Quarterly 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  145 

Conference.'  Respecting  the  third  case,  it  was  argued  that 
should  the  brother  be  placed  where  a  matrimonial  ceremony 
was  to  be  performed,  he,  if  ordained,  could  serve,  and  being 
a  poor  man,  it  would  greatly  aid  him  as  thereby  he  might 
make  some  money. 

''But  the  minority  report  assigned  one  reason  why  they 
should  not  be  ordained  .  It  was  that  the  candidates  were  all 
disqualified  for  the  office  because  they  had  not  the  informa- 
tion required  by  the  Discipline.  The  counter  report  pro- 
duced quite  an  excitement,  and  one  brother  violently  de- 
manded whether  we  wanted  a  man  to  know  how  to  read 
Hebrew,  Greek  and  Latin  before  we  would  ordain  him.  In 
the  speech  that  followed,  education,  and  those  who  favored 
it,  were  denounced.  In  reply  to  this  the  minority  arose  and 
said  that  the  remarks  were  altogether  gratuitous,  because  the 
report  said  nothing  at  all  about  Greek,  Latin  or  Hebrew,  but 
was  based  simply  upon  two  instruments,  the  Discipline  and 
the  Bible.  The  minority  also  maintained  that  every  mem- 
ber of  the  Conference  and  therefore  the  whole  Conference 
was  most  solemnly  bound  to  heed  the  Discipline  and  the 
Bible.  At  the  conclusion  of  these  remarks.  Bishop  Brown 
called  the  attention  of  the  Conference  to  the  fact  that  he 
was  placed  in  the  chair  not  to  carry  out  the  opinions  of  any 
man  or  set  of  men,  but  to  execute  the  Discipline  to  its  very 
letter,  and  he  also  declared  in  a  very  decided  and  emphatic 
manner,  that  if  the  w^hole  Conference  voted  for  the  ordina- 
tion of  the  said  brethren,  in  view  of  their  disqualifications,  he 
could  not  and  would  not  ordain  them.  As  a  final  result,  the 
report  of  the  minority  was  adopted." 

It  was  in  the  year  1845,  Rev.  Mr.  Hogarth,  the  General 
Book  Steward,  sent  the  following  which  was  published  in 
The  A.  M.  E.  Magazine,  the  official  organ  of  the  denomina- 
tion: 


146  The  Afro-American  Group 

"Thinking  it  will,  perhaps,  be  gratifying  to  some  to  see 
some  remarks  from  the  book  agent  in  each  number  of  the 
magazine,  on  the  condition  of  our  people,  as  I  may  learn  it 
in  traveling  among  them,  1  will  here  commence  a  series  of 
short  essays  on  that  subject.  First,  their  religious  condition 
— and  here  in  the  outset  I  may  justly  say  I  have  clearly  seen 
the  verification  of  that  true  remark,  "like  priest,  like  people;" 
as  the  priests  are  so  will  the  people  be.  That  we  need  an 
enlightened,  educated  ministry  no  one  ought  to  deny.  To 
give  a  case  showing  the  necessity  of  this,  permit  me  to  say 
I  attended  a  protracted  meeting  in  a  certain  village  where 
a  considerable  effort  was  made  to  get  persons  to  come  forward 
to  be  prayed  for,  but  the  effort  proved  unavailing.  The  min- 
ister in  charge  appointed  a  meeting  for  the  next  night — a 
general  prayer  meeting.  After  two  or  three  prayers  had 
been  offered  to  the  throne  of  grace,  the  brother  again  called 
for  mourners,  and  none  coming  forward,  he  then  called  for 
one  or  more  benches  to  be  set  out;  that  done,  he  said  he  would 
now  take  another  tact  on  the  devil,  that  he  intended  to  de- 
feat him  that  night. 

"He  then  declared  that  the  devil  was  in  everybody  in 
the  house,  and  he  intended  to  drive  him  out  of  them ;  that 
there  was  not  one  of  them  that  had  any  religion  whatever, 
therefore  every  member  of  the  church  must  now  come  for- 
ward to  the  mourner's  bench  and  get  religion,  for  they  had 
none.     They  were  all  going  to  hell. 

"Some  eight  or  nine  of  the  poor  creatures,  affrighted  at 
what  their  pastor  said,  came  forward  in  great  agony  and 
distress — all  professors  of  religion  too — and  after  they  had 
been  down  to  the  benches  some  time,  they  arose  one  after 
another,  shouting  and  declaring  that  they  had  again  got 
religion.  I  observed  that  the  most  sober  and  perhaps  the 
most  exemplary  members  of  the  church  did  not  comply  w^ith 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  147 

the  earnest  solicitations  of  their  pastor,  and  he  himself  ob- 
serving this  said  to  them  that  did  not  come  forward,  that 
they  must  get  religion  again  ;  they  were  all  on  the  road  to 
hell,  local  preachers,  class-leaders,  stewards  and  all.  After 
all  those  who  went  forward  had  been  converted  again — I 
say  again,  for  they  professed  to  have  had  religion  before — 
the  pastor  greatly  exulted  in  the  fact  that  he  had  defeated 
the  devil  by  getting  several  converts  and  quietly  dismissed 
the  meeting. 

"While  sitting  there  and  viewing  and  reflecting  upon  this 
whole  transaction,  my  mind  had  never  before  been  so  deeply 
impressed  with  the  great  importance  of  an  enlightened  minis- 
try. Our  fathers  who  have  gone  before  us,  and  those  who 
still  do  the  best  they  can,  and  for  the  great  good  they  have 
done  in  organizing  our  church,  getting  it  on  a  good  basis, 
and  giving  things  proper  direction,  deserve  our  gratitude  and 
our  thanks  and  our  praise.  But,  O  my  God,  what  a  work 
is  yet  to  be  done?  Our  fathers  have  only  laid  the  founda- 
tion, and  got  the  timber  in  part  together,  and  have  left  us 
their  sons,  to  erect  the  building.  But  more  particularly  to 
the  religious  condition  of  our  people.  In  this  State  (Ohio) 
there  are  from  twelve  to  sixteen  thousand  colored  people.  Of 
that  number  say  twelve  hundred  are  members  of  our  church ; 
of  this  number  perhaps  six  out  of  ten  can  read  the  New  Tes- 
tament. The  manner  of  worship  in  our  churches  here  in 
the  West  is  of  a  character  similar  to  the  state  of  education 
among  the  preachers  and  people,  confused  and  disorderly, 
owing  to  the  want  of  cultivated  minds  and  manners.  To 
this  remark,  however,  there  are  some  individual  exceptions 
of  persons  who  have  a  taste  for  more  regularity  and  refine- 
ment in  worship. 

"But  few  of  our  people  can  read  our  hymn  book  correct- 
Iv.     This  circumstance  tends  to  introduce  disorder  and  con- 


148  The  Afro-Americax  Group 

fusion  in  our  singing;  the  great  majority  not  being  able  to 
use  our  hymn-books,  make  fugue  tunes  for  themselves,  and 
these  fuge  tunes  are  always  transcripts  of  low  thoughts,  ig- 
norance and  superstition,  hence  confusion  in  singing.  Their 
language  used  in  prayer  also  is  also  characteristic  of  their 
want  of  education,  being  almost  always  incorrect,  and  when 
it  is,  only  by  mere  chance.  And  for  the  want  of  good  lan- 
guage they  can  not  express  to  the  edification  of  the  church, 
their  own  good  thoughts,  hence  confusion  in  prayer." 

Bishop  Payne,  in  his  history,  commenting  upon  the  above 
says : 

"It  is  a  gloomy  picture  of  the  religious  condition,  and 
had  it  been  drawn  by  the  hand  of  an  enemy,  outside  of  our 
ministry,  one  might  be  led  to  look  upon  it  as  a  caricature. 
But  there  are  two  reasons  why  it  is  worthy  of  our  belief.  It 
was  sketched  by  our  own  accreditted  book  agent,  who,  in 
the  course  of  his  travels,  felt  it  his  right,  duty  and  privilege 
to  inform  the  readers  of  our  church  organ  concerning  the 
condition  of  our  people  in  all  the  States  which  he  visited : 
and  scenes  of  this  kind  might  be  witnessed  in  many  of  our 
churches  at  a  much  later  date  in  other  States  north  of  the 
Ohio  as  well  as  in  the  States  south  of  it,  and  in  the  more  en- 
lightened regions  of  the  East  as  well  as  in  the  West." 

Those  of  our  readers  who  are  well  informed  with  re- 
spect to  "the  Great  Awakening,"  and  the  preaching  of  Jona- 
than Edwards,  will  have  no  difficulty  in  accounting  for  the 
source  of  many  of  the  religious  manifestations  of  the  masses 
of  the  black  race.  All  the  more  should  we  cherish  the  mem- 
ories of  that  noble  band  of  the  "black  elect,"  of  whom  the 
late  Bishop  Daniel  Alexander  Payne  of  the  African  Metho- 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  149 

dist  Episcopal  Church,  was  the  conspicuous  leader.  Few  of 
us  are  able  to  sincerely  appreciate  the  nobilit\'  of  the  high- 
class  men  of  color  who  fought  with  all  their  might  this  luhite 
influence  of  "the  Great  Awakening"  upon  our  group.  Dr. 
McConnell  in  his  history  of  the  American  Church  says:  "It 
would  be  an  interesting  study  to  trace  the  effect  of  the  Great 
Awakening  upon  the  Negro  race  in  America.  There  is  good 
reason  to  believe  that  their  peculiar  type  of  emotional  re- 
ligiousness, divorced  from  the  sanctions  of  conscience,  is  due 
to  this  movement  which  for  the  first  time  brought  within 
their  reach  a  conception  of  Christianity  which  fitted  itself  to 
their  peculiar  race  temperament.  There  does  not  seem  to 
be  any  evidence  of  their  characteristic  type  of  religion  pre- 
vious to  this  time.  Since  then  it  has  dominated  them  as  a 
people." 

Now  the  remarkable  thing  is  this.  This  very  condition 
of  affairs  made  manifest  the  fact  that  a  section  of  the  black 
race,  like  the  white  race,  had  the  power  to  withstand  and 
successfully  resist  the  influence  of  this  "new  cult"  upon  them. 
Closely  following  this  period  note  the  rise  of  Phyllis  Wheat- 
ley  and  Benjamin  Banneker.  Note  also  the  group  of  black 
people  who  left  the  Methodists  and  became  Episcopalians. 
Note  the  number  of  real  able  black  men  produced' by  the 
two  churches  standing  for  the  highest  ideals,  the  Episcopal 
and  the  Presbyterian.  From  the  Presbyterian  side  these 
names  will  suffice  to  carry  the  point :  John  Glouster,  James 
W.  C.  Pennington,  Henry  Highland  Garnett,  and  John 
Chavis.  The  latter,  black  as  midnight,  took  all  that  Prince- 
ton could  give  him,  and  in  the  State  of  North  Carolina  be- 
came a  celebrated  educator  of  the  white  youth.  The  remark- 
able thing  was  positive  evidence  that  the  race  could  attain 
the  noblest  ideals,  despite  the  background  of  barbarism,  and 
a  not  always  helpful  white  environment. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE    VEXIXG    SITUATIOX 

Nothing  was  further  from  the  thoughts  of  the  Bishops, 
clergy  and  Southern  laity,  immediately  after  the  Civil  War. 
than  the  introduction  of  a  "color-line"  in  Church  extension 
among  the  colored  people.  At  first,  despite  the  remarkable 
devotion  of  many  of  the  most  prominent  whites,  and  their 
sympathetic  touch  with  the  colored  people,  it  looked  as  if  it 
were  utterly  impossible  to  impress  a  goodly  number  of  the 
race  with  the  deep  sincerity  of  the  Church  in  welcoming 
them.  However,  well-nigh  into  the  second  decade  after  the 
war,  a  marked  change  began  to  appear  in  the  attitude  of  the 
colored  people  towards  the  Church ;  and  this  most  favorable 
change  proved  the  occasion  for  arousing  the  fears  of  the 
illiberal  whites  with  respect  to  possible  dangers  in  the  social 
order  of  affairs  which  might  obtain  in  the  event  that  colored 
people  came  into  the  Church  in  large  numbers. 

The  ecclessiastical  politicians  got  busy.  No  infelici- 
tous action  upon  the  part  of  colored  Churchmen  had  stimu- 
lated such  fears.  But,  in  all  the  Southern  country  the  Epis- 
copal Church  was  the  only  religious  body  of  white  men, 
setting  an  example  of  absolute  equality  in  the  family  of  Jesus 
Christ.  And,  although  men  like  Richard  Hooker  Wilmer, 
Thomas  Atkinson  and  others  of  their  class.  Southern  to  the 
core,  defended  this  policy  of  absolutely  ignoring  the  "color 
line,"  the  storm  of  opposition  arose. 

Both  Virginia  and  North  Carolina  had  started  off  in  the 
right  direction.     But,  in  South  Carolina  and  Georgia,  where 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  151 

the  Bishops  and  clergy  were  minded  to  pursue  the  same 
course,  bitter  opposition  was  manifested  on  the  part  of  many 
of  the  laity.  After  waiting  for  a  decade,  in  South  Carolina, 
the  issue  was  presented  in  the  application  of  St.  Marks 
Church,  Charleston,  to  be  admitted  into  union  with  the 
Diocesan  Convention,  as  a  regular  and  full-fledged  parish. 
It  aroused  a  storm  of  opposition  and  controversy  extending 
over  a  number  of  years.  The  contagion  reached  the  Diocesan 
Council  of  Virginia,  and,  after  many  }ears  of  earnest  and 
determined  discussion,  certain  limitations  in  the  future,  were 
placed  upon  Negro  representation  ta  the  Diocesan  Council. 
In  the  meantime  the  "Sewanee  Conference,"  composed  of 
Southern  Bishops  and  leading  white  clergy  and  laity,  was 
called  to  meet  at  Sewanee,  Tenn.,  July  25,  1883,  for  the 
purpose  of  arriving  at  some  definite  policy  of  action  in 
Church  extension  among  the  Negroes  of  the  South. 

Of  course  no  Negroes,  clergy  or  laity,  were  invited  to 
participate  in  this  conference.  Whereupon  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Alexander  Crummell,  rector  of  St.  Lukes  Church,  Washing- 
ton, and  the  senior  Negro  clergyman  of  the  Church,  called 
together  the  colored  clergy  and  laity  of  the  country  to  meet 
in  the  city  of  New  York,  during  the  fall  of  the  same  year 
for  mutual  conference  with  respect  to  the  matter  occupying 
the  minds  of  the  members  of  the  Sewanee  Conference. 

The  findings  of  the  Sewanee  Conference,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  dissenting  vote  of  Bishop  Wilmer,  of  Alabama, 
were  unanimous.  The  "Sewanee  Canon,"  expressive  of  the 
conclusions  of  that  body,  was  presented  to  the  General  Con- 
vention meeting  that  same  year  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia. 

In  a  few  words  the  Sewanee  plan  authorized  the  segrega- 
tion in  any  diocese  of  the  colored  people  under  the  direction 
and  authority  of  the  diocesan,  with  such  missionary  organi- 
zation as  might  be  necessary  for  its  purposes.     The  Negro 


152  The  Afro-American  Group 

Conference  of  colored  clergy  and  laity  which  asembled  in 
New  York  City,  the  month  previous  to  the  assembling  of 
the  General  Convention,  presented  a  united  front  against 
the  "Sewanee  Canon,"  and  appointed  a  committee  to  attend 
at  the  General  Convention  and  exert  every  means  in  their 
power  to  encompass  the  defeat  of  the  proposed  Canon. 

The  Canon  was  adopted  in  the  House  of  Bishops,  but  the 
House  of  Deputies  refused  to  concur.  So  it  was  lost.  But, 
that  was  not  the  end  of  the  matter.  It  was  rather  but  the 
beginning.  In  the  meantime  the  work  necessarily  suffered 
during  a  period  of  discussion  extending  over  a  number  of 
years.  We  do  not  mean  to  imply  that  the  two  things  had 
any  connection,  yet  it  is  a  fact  that  just  about  this  time  a 
movement  was  obtaining  throughout  the  Southern  States  by 
which  the  Constitutions  of  very  many  of  the  States  were  so 
altered  as  to  admit  of  the  "disfranchisement"  of  the  great 
body  of  colored  voters  in  that  section  of  the  country.  It  so 
happened  that  many  Southern  laymen  who  were  prominent 
in  State  affairs  were  likewise  prominent  in  the  affairs  of  the 
Kingdom  of  God.  Thus  in  a  few  years  in  a  number  of 
Southern  dioceses,  the  proposed  Sewanee  legislation  which 
failed  in  the  national  legislature  of  the  Church,  was  incor- 
porated into  diocesan  law.  This  action  on  the  part  of  sev- 
eral Southern  dioceses,  effected  a  radical  change  of  front  and 
attitude  upon  the  part  of  the  Negro  clergy  and  laity  em- 
braced in  the  Conference  of  Church  Workers  among  Col- 
ored People. 

This  conference  originated  in  an  effort  to  prevent  any 
"color-line  "  legislation.  The  conference  desired  that  col- 
ored Churchmen  should  have  identically  the  same  status  as 
others.  When,  in  spite  of  all  effort  in  that  direction,  it  be- 
came manifest  that  colored  Churchmen  must  choose  between 
existing  without   any  fixed   status   as  an   appendage   to   the 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  153 

white  church,  or,  have  an  independent  being  apart  from  the 
local  white  church,  with  union  in  the  General  Convention, 
the  Conference  unhesitatingly  chose  the  latter  course.  But, 
before  committing  itself  to  the  Missionary  District  plan,  in 
a  memorial  sent  to  the  General  Convention  of  1889,  it  re- 
quested of  that  body  a  definition  of  the  status  of  colored 
Churchmen.  There  were  two  reports  upon  the  memorial. 
The  majority  report,  exceedingly  kind  and  courteous,  diplo- 
matically evaded  the  point  at  issue.  The  minority  report, 
championed  by  Phillips  Brooks  met  the  issue  completely.  By 
a  very  close  vote  the  majority  report  prevailed,  and,  thus, 
the  question  of  status,  as  yet,  has  not  been  satisfactorily  set- 
tled. 

Thereafter  the  Conference  hesitated  no  longer.  A  fight 
for  definite  status  was  initiated.  Finally,  at  the  Conference 
of  Church  Workers  held  in  St.  Lukes  Church,  New  Haven, 
Conn.,  September,  1903,  a  Commission  of  Fifteen  was  con- 
stituted to  seek  an  audience  with  the  Bishops  in  Southern 
dioceses,  and,  after  mutually  going  over  the  situation,  request 
said  Bi«;hops  to  originate  the  necessary  legislation  to  be  pre- 
sented the  General  Convention,  which  would  be  satisfactory 
to  both  sides.  Through  the  prompt  courtesy  of  the  late 
Bishop  Dudley,  then  chairman  of  the  House  of  Bishops,  such 
meeting  was  held  that  same  fall  in  the  Church  of  the  Ascen- 
sion, Washington,  D.  C.  The  meeting  and  our  reception  by 
the  Bishops  was  magnificent.  They  asked  for  further  time 
for  consideration  of  the  matter.  After  six  months  they  met 
at  Sewanee,  and  politely  and  kindly  declined  to  accede  to  our 
request.  After  having  been  denied  that  ''fatherly"  help, 
which,  in  our  perplexity,  we  craved,  the  Conference  of 
Church  Workers,  meeting  in  St.  Philips  Church,  Newark, 
N.  J.,  September,   1904,  the  one  hundredth  anniversary  of 


154  The  Afro-American  Group 

the  ordination  of  Absalom  Jones  to  the  priesthood,  framed 
its  own  memorial,  sending  it  to  the  General  Convention, 
meeting  in  Boston  the  next  month. 

The  legislation  which  we  asked  of  General  Convention 
was  the  adoption  of  the  Canon  prepared  by  the  late  Bishop 
Whittingham,  of  Maryland,  at  the  request  of  Bishop  W.  B. 
W.  Howe,  of  South  Carolina,  and  others,  in  1873.  The 
only  addition  suggested  by  the  Conference  itself  was  the 
provision  whereby  the  several  diocesans,  who  might  yield 
their  territory  for  the  Missionary  District,  should  consti- 
tute a  Council  of  Advice  to  the  Missionary  Bishop.  At  Bos- 
ton the  subject  was  discussed  and  a  commission  created  to 
report  upon  the  matter  at  the  Richmond  General  Conven- 
tion of  1907.  At  Richmond,  under  the  leadership  of  the 
Bishop  of  Texas,  a  brave  and  heroic  fight  was  made  for  the 
adoption  of  the  measure.  But  it  was  defeated  by  the  injec- 
tion of  the  'S'uffragan  Episcopate,"  which  was  supposed  to 
be  sufficient  to  afford  what  was  sought  by  the  Missionary 
Episcopate. 

In  1910,  at  Cincinnati,  the  Suffragan  Bishop  Legislation 
was  completed,  but  from  that  date  to  the  present,  not  a  single 
advocate  of  its  utility  for  work  among  Negroes  has  ven- 
tured to  put  it  to  the  test. 

At  the  General  Convention  of  1916,  held  in  St.  Louis, 
the  Conference  of  Church  Workers  made  its  final  and  last 
effort  in  the  direction  of  a  definite  status  for  colored  Church- 
men. Never  was  the  cause  more  ably  presented  than  as  will 
appear  in  the  report  of  the  majority,  in  the  journal  of  1916. 
But  the  "minority"  report  won,  and  we  again  went  down  in 
defeat.  The  Bishops  of  North  Carolina  and  Texas,  together 
with  the  representative  of  the  Conference  of  Church  Work- 
ers conferred,  and  came  to  the  conclusion  that  it  would  be 
the  part  of  wisdom  to  "hold  up"  and  give  the  friends  of  the 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  155 

Suffragan  plan  a  fair  opportunity  to  demonstrate.  In  the 
meantime,  that  all  our  labor  would  not  prove  utterly  in 
vain,  between  the  Bishops  above  named  and  the  Bishop  of 
Arkansas,  all  of  whom  were  staunch  supporters  of  the  Mis- 
sionary District  plan  an  effort  might  be  made  to  make  an 
interpretation  of  the  utility  of  the  Suffragan  plan. 

Thus  far  all  that  has  been  done  has  been  accomplished 
through  such  source. 

A  section  of  the  minority  report,  which  was  adopted  at 
St.  Louis,  will  clearly  indicate  the  fundamental  principle  for 
which  the  Conference  of  Church  Workers  were  fighting,  as 
well  as  the  subtleness  of  the  opposition.  It  was  a  case  where 
we  were  defeated  by  "extremes."  Of  course,  those  who  were 
absolutely  opposed  to  any  "color-line"  under  any  form  were 
naturall\-  against  us.  On  the  other  hand,  those  who  thought 
that  we  should  be  "restricted"  in  our  rights,  were  also  against 
us.  The  union  of  these  two  antagonistic  forces  apparently 
wrought  our  defeat.  At  any  rate  the  extract  from  the  min- 
ority report  which  follows  would  seem  to  indicate  as  much. 
The  section  reads: 

"But  apart  from  the  principle  involved,  the 
plan  of  a  Separate  Racial  Jurisdiction  for  Negroes 
in  the  South,  if  once  put  in  operation,  will  in  our 
opinion  make  it  exceedingly  difficult,  if  not  impos- 
sible, to  try  the  plan  of  a  Suffragan  Bishop  as  pro- 
vided by  the  General  Convention,  if  it  shall  be 
found  expedient  and  possible  in  the  future  to  do  so. 
No  race  prefers  to  occupy  a  subordinate  position, 
however  necessary  and  beneficial  such  subordina- 
tion may  be  considered  under  certain  conditions. 
But  when  race  development  is  once  appealed  to, 
and    race   ambition   once   excited,   the    Negro   will 


156  The  Afro-American  Group 

quite  certainly  aspire  to  equality  with  the  white 
man  in  every  particular.  Many  of  them  will,  there- 
fore, prefer  a  Bishop  of  their  own  race,  with  an  in- 
dependent jurisdiction  separate  from  the  white 
man,  rather  than  a  Suffragan  Bishop,  who,  how- 
ever well  qualified  for  the  Episcopate,  would  still 
be  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  white  Bishop.  For 
this  reason  the  plan  of  a  Separate  Racial  District 
will  make  impracticable  and  futile  any  attempt  on 
the  part  of  a  Southern  Bishop  or  diocese  to  try  any 
other  plan." 

Thus,  our  opponents,  in  stating  their  case,  justify  us  in 
our  contention,  and  almost  confess  in  advance  the  certain 
failure  of  their  own  scheme.  Colored  Churchmen  do  not 
object  to  one  Bishop  and  one  Convention,  in  which  all  may 
share  the  same  divine  equality,  without  respect  to  race  or 
color.  Since  white  Churchmen  are  the  ones  who  object  to 
this  arrangement,  and  demand  a  white  Convention  with  a 
white  Bishop,  they  should  be  willing  to  concede  to  their 
black  brethren  the  same  liberty  and  independence  which 
they  claim  for  themselves.  But  whether  they  concede  it  or 
not,  we  can  not  deny  our  own  manhood  by  failing  to  contend 
for  all  the  rights  of  man. 

It  would  be  a  very  great  error  for  any  to  imagine  that 
the  Southern  Bishops,  as  a  whole,  have  been  at  all  luke-warm 
in  their  endeavors  to  bring  together  in  the  one  diocesan  coun- 
cil, all  races,  clergy  and  laity.  It  was  the  "martyr-like"  spirit" 
of  a  number  of  Southern  Bishops  in  upholding  the  rights  of 
the  black  man,  in  the  one  diocesan  council,  necessarily  engen- 
dering a  certain  bitterness  of  feeling,  which  disposed  the 
great  body  of  colored  clergy  to  memorialise  the  General 
Convention  for  the  Racial  District,  as  an  alternative,  so  as 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  157 

to  render  unnecessary  the  sufferings  of  the  Southern  Epis- 
copate and  pave  the  way  for  a  lasting  peace. 

But  one  example  we  gi\'e :  The  Rev.  J.  H.  ]\1.  Pollard 
had  removed  from  the  diocese  of  Virginia  to  the  diocese  of 
South  Carolina.  Bishop  Howe,  of  that  diocese,  in  making 
up  the  clerical  roll  of  members  of  the  Convention,  naturally 
enough  inserted  the  name  of  the  Rev.  J.  H.  \1.  Pollard. 
A  vigorous  fight  followed  with  respect  to  the  correctness  of 
the  list  as  furnished  by  the  Bishop.  The  Bishop  was  sus- 
tained ;  and  be  it  said  to  the  eternal  praise  of  the  clergy,  they 
stood  unflinchingly  by  the  Bishop.  Bishop  Howe  plainly  in- 
timated that  he  would  resign  his  office  of  Bishop  rather  than 
acquiesce  in  the  disfranchisement  of  a  priest  because  of  his 
color.  At  the  close  of  that  remarkable  Diocesan  Conven- 
tion of  South  Carolina  in  1887,  Bishop  Howe  expressed  him- 
self in  part  as  follows : 

"I  will  say  a  word  or  two  before  I  go.  This  is  the  97th 
Diocesan  Convention  that  has  been  held  during  a  period  of 
nearly  one  hundred  years,  and  I  presume  that  within  all  these 
years  there  never  has  occurred  what  has  taken  place  at  this 
session — the  withdrawal  of  a  large  number  of  those  who  rep- 
resent their  churches  in  this  Convention.  And  it  is  worthy 
of  remark  that  some  of  these  are  the  oldest  in  the  diocese.  It 
is  a  matter  of  very  great  regret  to  me  that  such  is  the  mel- 
ancholy fact,  but  as  I  review  the  question  I  do  not  see  how 

we  could  have  acted  otherwise  than  we  have  done It 

is  not  only  the  privilege  but  the  right  of  the  Bishop  to  visit 
every  parish  in  his  diocese,  and,  God  helping  me,  unless  the 
doors  of  the  churches  are  locked  against  me,  I  shall  visit  them 
as  usual  whether  they  are  or  not  in  union  with  this  Conven- 
tion. But  I  trust  that  our  brethren  will  reconsider  their 
action  and  see  whether  it  is  sufficient  ground  for  those  old 


158  The  Afro-American  Group 

parishes  to  go  out  because  a  colored  clergyman,  well  learned, 
who  has  sat  in  a  Convention  in  Virginia,  is  here." 

Here  was  an  actual  condition.  It  matters  not  that  it  was 
a  minority  that  was  opposed  to  the  recognition  of  equality  in 
the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ.  The  feeling  existed.  The  at- 
titude of  colored  Churchmen  found  expression  in  the  words 
of  Abraham  to  Lot:  "Let  there  be  no  strife  between  us,  for 
we  are  brethren."  And  this  attitude  took  definite  shape  in  a 
memorial  to  the  General  Convention  for  "an  alternative 
plan,"  Missionary  Districts.  So  that  by  its  employment  the 
occasion  for  any  future  unpleasantness  w^ould  be  avoided.  On 
this  effort  of  peace  and  good-will,  as  well  as  the  preservation 
of  our  own  manhood  and  self-respect,  we  are  willing  to  go 
down  to  posterity. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  just  here  that  when  Bishop  Win- 
chester of  Arkansas,  in  his  early  ministry,  was  rector  of  St. 
Johns,  Wytheville,  Va.,  he  invited  the  Rev.  Mr.  Pollard  to 
preach  in  St.  Johns  Church  on  a  Sunday  morning.  At  that 
time  Senator  R.  E.  Withers,  a  member  of  the  U.  S.  Senate, 
and  Judge  Boulding  of  that  city,  were  members  of  the  vestry. 
Judge  Boulding,  who  was  present  that  particular  Sunday 
morning,  was  so  much  pleased  w4th  the  sermon  of  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Pollard  that  at  the  close  of  the  service  he  presented  him 
with  a  volume  with  his  autograph  as  a  souvenir  of  the  occa- 
sion. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

THE    CONFERENCE    OF   CHURCH    WORKERS 
AMONG    COLORED    PEOPLE 

No  one  agency,  perhaps,  has  contributed  more  towards 
the  growth  of  the  Church  among  our  racial  group  than  the 
Conference  of  Church  Workers  among  Colored  People.  The 
late  Rev.  Alexander  Crummell,  D.  D.  LL.  D..  rector  and 
founder  of  St.  Lukes  Church,  Washington.  D.  C.  may  very 
properly  be  considered  as  the  father  and  founder  of  the  Con- 
ference. 

Following  the  meeting  of  the  Sewanee  Conference,  the 
initial  meeting  of  the  colored  clergy  of  the  United  States, 
at  the  call  of  Dr.  Crummell,  assembled  in  the  Church  of 
the  Holy  Communion.  New  \'ork  City,  during  the  fall  of 
1883  .From  that  time  to  the  present  these  Conferences  have 
been  regularly  held.  There  was  the  omission  of  the  one  of 
1891  which  had  been  appointed  to  meet  in  Nashville,  Tenn., 
because  of  the  illness  of  the  late  Archdeacon  Calbraith  B. 
Perry,  of  Tennessee,  upon  whom  the  arrangements  de- 
volved. Until  the  year  1919  these  meetings  were  held  an- 
nually; but  in  1919  at  the  Cleveland  Conference  a  scheme 
of  several  Provincial  Conferences  was  adopted  for  the  two 
years  between  every  third  year,  at  which  time  the  whole,  or 
General  Conference  would  thereafter  convene. 

The  second  Conference  was  also  held  in  the  city  of  New 
York  in  1884.  In  1885  it  was  held  in  Richmond,  Va.  In 
1886  it  was  held  in  St.  Lukes  Church.  W^ashington.  D.  C. 


162  The  Afro-American  Group 

This  was  the  first  Conference  attended  by  the  present  author 
(then  as  a  la_vmr.n)  ;  and  it  was  at  this  Conference  that  a 
new  departure  was  inaugurated.  Up  to  this  time,  it  was 
strictly  a  "Negro  Conference."  That  is,  it  only  included 
Negro  workers  among  the  race.  Possibly  the  occasion  for 
instituting  the  change  was  the  voluntary  presence  of  two 
distinguished  white  clergymen  in  work  among  our  people. 
The  Conference  was  quick  to  express  its  pleasure  and  accord 
a  hearty  welcome  by  immediately  making  the  change  to 
"Church  Workers  Among  Colored  People."  These  two 
white  clergymen  were  Rev.  Dr.  Calbraith  B.  Perry  of  St. 
Marys  and  Rev.  George  B.  Johnson  of  St.  James,  Baltimore. 
And  from  that  day  to  the  present  time  all  workers  of  all 
orders  of  the  ministry  and  laity  have  been  accounted  members 
of  the  body. 

The  most  important  action  taken  at  this  Conference  was 
the  adoption  of  a  "memorial"  to  the  General  Convention 
which  met  the  next  month  in  Chicago,  praying  the  appoint- 
ment of  a  Church  Commission  for  Work  among  the  Colored 
People.  The  idea  as  well  as  the  drafting  cf  the  paper  was 
born  of  Rev.  Dr.  Perry.  The  memorial  as  thus  drafted  was 
heartily  and  unanimously  adopted  by  the  Conference.  The 
General  Convention  created  the  Commission.  During  the 
life  of  this  Commission  the  work  was  very  greatly  advanced, 
and,  although  it  had  its  defects,  its  abolition  was  not  at  the 
will  of  our  Conference. 

It  would  have  been  utterly  impossible  to  have  secured  a 
better  or  more  efficient  chairman  of  that  Commission  than 
the  illustrious  Bishop  Dudley,  who,  for  so  many  years  was 
its  head  and  who  gave  himself  without  measure,  and,  in  un- 
wearied devotion  to  every  interest  which  concerned  the  black 
man.  Bishop  Dudley  thoroughly  loved  and  thoroughly  be- 
leived  in  the  black  man.  and  was  alwavs  his  ceaseless  advo- 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  163 

cate  and  defender.  Upon  the  invitation  of  the  Rev.  Cal- 
braith  B.  Perry,  the  1887  Conference  was  held  in  St.  Marys, 
Baltimore,  at  which  time  the  author,  a  "groom'  of  but  a  day 
and  yet  a  Deacon,  was  elected  secretary  of  the  Conference, 
with  Rev.  Dr.  H.  C.  Bishop,  of  New  York,  chairman.  From 
that  time  to  the  present,  with  the  exception  of  about  three 
years,  the  author  has  continued  in  office  as  secretary  of  the 
Conference  of  Church  Workers,  and  has  actually  attended 
every  session  held  since  that  day. 

"The  Church  Advocate,''  edited  by  the  secretary  of  the 
Conference,  has  been  so  intimately  joined  together  with  the 
Conference  that  it  is  hard  to  think  of  one  without  at  the 
same  time  thinking  of  the  other.  By  the  joint  work  of  the 
above  mentioned  "union"  a  number  of  things  have  been 
realized.  After  a  season  of  rather  prolonged  education,  rep- 
resentation of  the  group  was  secured  upon  the  commission 
through  the  appointment  to  that  body  of  the  late  Rev.  Dr. 
Alexander  Crummell.  And  w^hen  death  removed  Dr.  Crum- 
mell  the  elevation  to  the  vacancy  of  Bishop  Delany  was 
realized. 

King  Hall,  with  the  Rev.  William  Victor  Tunnell,  war- 
den, was  inaugurated  in  the  city  of  Washington,  as  a  theolo- 
gical seminary,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Church  Commission 
and  during  the  days  of  its  continuance,  it  prepared  and  sent 
into  the  ministry  a  number  of  men  who  have  made  splendid 
records  of  service.  King  Hall  was  not  closed  in  accordance 
with  the  judgement  and  w^ishes  of  the  Conference  of  Church 
Workers  among  the  group.  In  due  season  following  the 
necessary  campaign  of  education,  colored  priests  were  given 
the  opportunity  for  supervisory  and  administrative  work  as 
Archdeacons. 

The  Conferences  of  Church  Workers  have  met  in  various 
sections  of  the  country.     As  far  South  as  Charleston,  S.  C, 


164  The  Afro-American  Group 

as  far  north  as  Boston,  and  as  far  west  as  Cleveland,  Ohio. 
With  rare  exception,  in  ever}-  diocese  where  the  Conference 
has  convened,  the  diocesan  has  been  present  and  extended 
every  courtesy.  Many  have  been  the  unusual  courtesies  ex- 
tended by  our  white  brethren,  but  we  do  not  think  that 
we  err  at  all  when  it  is  declared  that  nowhere  in  the  history 
of  these  conferences  has  greater  consideration  and  courtesy 
been  extended  than  in  the  diocese  of  Ohio,  upon  tw^o  oca- 
sions,  under  the  leadership  and  inspiration  of  the  Rt.  Rev. 
William  A.  Leonard,  Bishop  of  Ohio,  and  his  Co-Adjutor 
Bishop  DuMulin.  On  both  occasions  the  opening  services 
under  most  pleasing  auspices,  took  place  in  the  Bishop's 
Cathedral  with  the  support  of  the  Cathedral  choir,  and 
no  man  could  have  been  more  gracious  and  solicitous,  then 
the  good  Bishop  of  Ohio. 

Bishop  Leonard,  from  his  youth,  has  been  a  steadfast 
''offender"  along  this  line.  In  Brooklyn,  in  Washington,  as 
well  as  in  CleVeland,  no  work  has  been  dearer  to  his  heart 
than  that  among  his  colored  brethren.  And  the  author  of 
this  volume  feels  greatly  honored  in  the  fact  that  the  Bishop 
of  Ohio,  covering  almost  the  entire  period  of  our  ministry, 
has  ever  been  one  of  our  most  devoted  and  affectionate 
friends.  The  knowledge  of  the  sincerity  of  his  friendship 
has  wrought  mightily  in  us  in  the  midst  of  struggle  and  con- 
flict. 

Alany  have  been  the  benefits  of  these  annual  conferences. 
They  have  interpreted  to  both  races  the  black  man  at  his 
best.  Through  these  conferences  the  colored  people  have 
come  to  know  and  somewhat  understand  the  purpose  of  the 
Episcopal  Church.  They  have  proved  the  means  of  intro- 
ducing to  each  other  our  own  colored  laity  and  linking  them 
together  for  constructive  work.  The  Conference  has  fur- 
nished to  our  own  colored  clergy  the  opportunity  for  prac- 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  165 

tice,  and  imparted  an  ecclessiastical  education  which  could  not 
have  been  realized  elsewhere.  By  means  of  it  many  of  them 
"have  found  themselves,"  and  have  been  inspired  and  ren- 
dered more  hopeful  in  their  difficult  work.  They  have  learnt 
to  do  by  doing.  Their  entire  life,  social,  intellectual  and 
ecclesiastical  has  felt  the  invigorating  influence  of  the  forces 
inseparably  connected  w^ifh  such  meetings.  And  those  who 
enjoy  the  privilege  of  membership  in  diocesan  assemblies  have 
been  ennabled  to  carry  into  such  relationships  a  training  and 
a  culture  which  otherwise  would  not  have  been  possible. 

Prof.  Charles  H.  Boyer,  a  native  of  Maryland,  and  a 
graduate  of  Yale  University,  the  dean  of  the  collegiate  de- 
partment of  St.  Augustines  School,  has  been  connected  with 
that  institution  for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century.  He  is 
one  of  the  strongest  and  ablest  of  the  colored  laity  in  this 
country.  While  this  book  was  making  ready  for  the  press, 
we  received  a  personal  note  from  our  friend  Prof.  Boyer, 
which,  while  not  intended  for  public  print,  is  worthy  of  such, 
showing  as  it  does  how  such  men  are  valued  in  the  Church 
by  the  people  of  the  white  group.     Says  Prof.  Boyer : 

I  have  just  returned  from  Wellesley  College,  Mass., 
where  I  had  been  conducting  a  mission  study  class  on  the 
Negro  and  the  Church,  at  the  Episcopal  Church  Conference. 
I  had  a  very  interesting  class  of  twenty-one  persons,  includ- 
ing priests,  theological  students,  teachers,  social  service  work- 
ers, missionaries  and  some  extra  visitors  at  times;  there  was 
also  one  missionary  from  China  and  a  young  woman  prepar- 
ing to  become  a  missionary  to  Liberia. 

"It  was  a  great  experience  to  me.  I  won  them  all  over 
completely  to  full  sympathy  with  the  Negro's  side  of  the 
question,  and  received  a  rising  vote  of  thanks  from  them  at 


166  The  Afro-American  Group 

the  close  of  the  last  recitation,  for  the  way  I  had  taught 
them,  and  also  received  their  assurance  to  pray  and  work 
for  bringing  the  Negro  into  his  full  measure  of  American 
citizenship  and  Christian  fellowship. 

"Outside  of  the  classroom  too,  I  was  accorded  all  the 
courtesies  of  the  conference.  In  fact  I  was  considered  the 
guest  of  the  conference  while  ther^." 


^J^^im^S^ 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

SOME   VETERAN   FRIENDS 

Amcng  the  Bishops  who  became  most  active  in  this  work 
after  the  Civil  War  were  Atkinson.  Lyman,  Johns,  Whittle, 
Smith,  ,Quintard,  Whittingham,  Howe,  Stevens  and  Young. 
At  a  later  period  were  Dudle\ ,  Leonard  of  Ohio,  Ranodlph, 
Cheshire,  Paret,  KinsoKing  and  Johnston  of  Texas.  Among 
the  clergy  were  Drs.  Saul  and  ALatlack  of  Philadelphia,  Drs. 
Babbitt  and  A.  Toomer  Porter,  of  South  Carolina,  Rev.  Dr. 
C.  B.  Perry  of  ALiryland  and  Rev.  Giles  B.  Cooke  of  Vir- 
ginia. Later  Drs.  Smedes,  Sutton  and  Hunter  of  St.  Augus- 
tines  School,  Raleigh,  X.  C,  and  Archdeacon  Joyner  of 
South  Carolina.  A  few  of  the  distinguished  laymen:  the 
Stewarts  of  Richmond,  Va.,  Mr.  Joseph  Bryan,  Richmond, 
Va.,  Messrs.  H.  E.  Pellew  and  Judge  Bancroft  Davis  of 
Washington,  D.  C,  Mr.  John  A.  King  of  Long  Island,  Mrs. 
Loomis  L.  White  of  New  York.  Nor  could  by  any  possible 
means  the  names  of  Henry  Codman  Potter,  Bishop  of  New 
York  and  Phillip  Brooks.  Bishop  of  Massachusetts,  be  omit- 
ted. It  would  be  entirely  out  of  the  question  to  catalogue  all 
of  the  names  of  such  as  were  conspicuous  in  this  work,  and, 
hence,  we  have  named  but  a  few.  with  nearly  all  of  whom 
the  author  enjoyed  personal  acquaintance. 

Bishop  Stevens  of  Pennsylvania,  a  Georgian  by  birth, 
was  the  first  to  make  provision  for  the  theological  training 
of  colored  men  in  Philadelphia.  Rev.  Dr.  R.  C.  Matlack, 
secretary  of  the  Evangelical  Educational  Society,  was  fore- 
most in  providing  scholarships  for  worthy  candidates  for  the 


170  The  Afro-Americax  Group 

ministr}-;  and  Rev.  Dr.  Saul  of  Philadelphia,  with  generous 
liberality,  gave  his  means  to  aid  the  good  work  in  various 
sections  of  the  South.  He  was  among  the  first  to  donate 
money  for  the  purchase  of  permanent  property  for  the  Bishop 
Payne  Divinity  School  at  Petersburg,  Va.  During  Mr. 
Pellew's  connection  with  the  Church  Commission  for  work 
among  colored  people,  he  was  almost  continuously  traveling 
over  the  country  inspecting  the  work  and  quietly  bestowing 
his  means  here  and  there  to  sustain  the  same.  Rev.  Drs. 
Porter  and  Babbitt  in  South  Carolina  wrought  w^ith  sincere 
devotion  and  apostolic  zeal.  Rev.  Calbraith  B.  Perry  and 
Rev.  Giles  B.  Cooke  wrought  as  few,  if  any,  white  men 
have  before  or  since.  Archdeacon  E.  N.  Joyner  in  South 
Carolina,  labored  for  a  long  period  in  the  midst  of  many 
obstacles,  bravely  and  most  successfully.  Rev.  Reeve  Hob- 
ble and  Rev.  John  H.  Towmsend  in  the  State  of  New  Jersey, 
won  the  love  and  affection  of  colored  people  and  performed 
magnificent  constructive  work. 

Gen.  Samuel  C.  Armstrong  was  not  a  communicant  of 
the  Episcopal  Church,  but,  certainly,  no  one  outside  of  the 
Church,  exerted  without  any  special  design,  a  more  helpful 
influence  in  its  extension  among  the  colored  people  of  the 
country.  General  Armstrong  was  very  dear  to  this  author. 
By  appointment  of  the  Governor  of  Virginia  the  present 
author  served  as  a  trustee  of  that  institution  representing  the 
Commonwealth  of  Virginia.  He  saw  much  of  Gen.  Arm- 
strong, and  we  frequently  communed  together.  Strange  as 
it  may  appear,  the  General  became  very  fond  of  us  for  the 
same  reason  that  very  many  have  not  liked  us  so  well.  He 
greatly  admired  in  us  the  disposition  not  only  to  do  our  own 
thinking,  but  the  aggressiveness  w^hich  we  sustained  in  try- 
ing to  convert  others  to  our  convictions.     Of  all  the  letters 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  171 

in  the  possession  of  the  author  he  prizes  none  more  highly 
than  a  very  brief  one  from  Gen.  Armstrong,  when,  in  going 
north  on  a  certain  errand,  we  requested  a  line  of  him.  He 
wrote:  "I  know  you,  and  have  confidence  in  you."  Those 
few  words  over  the  signature  of  Gen.  S.  C.  Armstrong  ap- 
pealed to  every  noble  impulse  of  our  nature  and  inspired  de- 
termination and  purpose  to  ''make  good." 

But  we  started  out  to  remark  concerning  the  unconscious 
influence  of  Gen.  Armstrong  on  behalf  of  the  extension  of 
the  Episcopal  Church  among  the  colored  people.  While 
Hampton  has  always  been  "undenominational,"  both  its  fa- 
culty and  board  of  trustees  have  contained  in  abundance  not 
only  members  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  but  men  and  women 
of  the  highest  and  noblest  type,  creating  an  atmosphere  in 
which  the  common  and  vulgar  simply  could  not  exist.  The 
most  helpful  portions  of  the  services  from  the  Book  of  Com- 
mon Prayer  have  all  along  constituted  the  normal  daily  de- 
votions of  the  Hampton  family,  teachers  and  pupils.  The 
life  and  atmosphere  sustained  at  Hampton  inspired  such 
ideals  as  led  many  of  its  graduates  in  after  life  to  unite  with 
the  Episcopal  Church  because  the  ideals  presented  by  the 
Church  seemed  to  agree  more  thoroughly  with  the  Hampton 
life,  the  Hampton  spirit  and  the  Hampton  atmosphere.  Thus, 
Gen.  Armstrong,  with  no  design  whatever  to  promote  any 
particular  sect  or  advance  the  interests  of  any  religious  body, 
interpreting  his  own  vision,  did  unconsciously  serve  the  best 
interest  of  true  religion  in  helping  on  Church  extension 
among  the  colored  race. 

A  number  of  the  best  clergymen  the  Church  has  ever 
had  and  many  of  the  most  helpful  laity  in  business  and  in 
professional  life  scattered  all  over  the  United  States  w^ere 
once  children  of  Samuel  C.  Armstrong. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

SOME    SELF-MADE    STRONG   CHARACTERS    AND    OTHERS 

James  E.  Thompson,  who,  as  a  youth  and  a  young  man, 
had  been  quite  active  in  St.  James  Church,  Baltimore,  early 
in  the  seventies,  removed  to  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  where,  while 
pursuing  secular  work,  manifested  an  earnest  interest  in  do- 
ing missionary  work.  Finally  he  got  together  a  little  work 
known  as  the  Mission  of  the  Good  Samaritan.  He  was 
made  a  deacon  by  Bishop  Robertson  and  later  a  priest.  Some 
few  years  after  he  removed  to  Chicago  to  undertake  a  simi- 
lar work.  As  a  result  of  his  endeavor  in  that  city,  he  became 
the  founder  of  the  present  large  and  flourishing  Church  of  St. 
Thomas  with  more  than  a  thousand  communicants. 

In  the  meantime,  having  left  St.  Louis,  he  w^rote  to  Bal- 
timore and  influenced  Cassius  M.  C.  Mason  to  remove  to 
St.  Louis.  Mr.  Mason  was  one  of  a  very  large  family  of 
Masons  christened  in  old  St.  James,  Baltimore.  Richard 
Masons,  the  father  of  Cassius,  was  one  of  the  most  brilliant 
and  active  colored  men  of  his  generation  in  the  city  of  Bal- 
timore. He  was  a  boot  and  shoe  maker,  and  often  did  he 
remark  to  the  present  author  of  his  having  made  boots  or 
shoes  for  His  Excellency  President  Tyler.  He  was  an  un- 
compromising Churchman.  All  of  his  family  were  steadfastly 
brought  up  in  the  Church.  His  son,  Cassius,  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  vestry  of  Sr.  James  Church  before  he  had  at- 
tained his  majority.  He  honorably  and  creditably  served  in 
every  position  open  to  a  layman  in  the  Church.  As  a  young 
man  he  took  the  leading  part,  with  other  young  people  from 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  173 

St.  James  in  1867  in  establishing  the  present  congregation  of 
St.  Mary  the  Virgin,  Baltimore.  At  first  the  name  of  the 
new  mission  was  St.  Philip,  but  it  was  afterwards  changed 
to  its  present  title.  Thus  it  was  after  such  pioneer  good 
work  in  the  city  of  his  birth,  that  the  call  came  to  him 
through  a  former  communicant  of  St.  James  to  go  west.  We 
shall  not  go  into  the  details  of  his  work  in  St.  Louis.  He 
took  Orders  in  that  diocese,  founded  All  Saints  Parish,  St. 
Louis,  and  was  its  rector  to  the  day  of  his  death.  Bishop 
Tuttle,  his  honored  diocesan,  on  the  day  of  his  death,  ALarch 
21,  1917,  wrote  the  following  his  his  cjiary : 

"In  the  earl}  morning  of  this  day,  Rev.  C.  M.  C.  Mason, 
rector  of  All  Saints,  St.  Louis,  died  of  pneumonia,  after  a 
short  illness.  A  Godly  man,  a  devoted  pastor,  the  builder  up 
of  this  parish  into  a  strong  self-supporting  parish  of  five 
hundred  communicants.  The  senior  priest  of  the  diocese 
the  only  one  left  who  had  been  in  steady  service  with  me  for 
the  whole  thirty  years  of  my  Missouri  life.  He  was  a  wise 
counsellor  for  me  and  Avith  me.  I  shall  sorely  miss  him, 
God  be  thanked  for  his  faithful  life  and  abounding  good 
work." 

In  his  Convention  address  the  same  good  Bishop  alludes 
to  Father  Mason  in  this  wise:  "One  of  our  clergy  has  fallen, 
the  Rev.  C.  M.  C.  Alason.  He  was  a  remarkable  leader  to 
his  congregation,  and,  indeed,  to  the  colored  people  of  the 

city Clear-headed  and  stout-hearted,  wise  in  planning, 

energetic  in  executing,  holy  of  life,  he  filled  a  sphere  of  great 
usefulness  in  which  he  was  highly  respected  and  deeply  loved. 
We  hardly  know  how  we  are  to  get  on  without  him." 

The  character  of  Father  Mason  ought  greatly  to  in- 
fluence ambitious  youth  of  our  group  who  may  become  ap- 
prised of  the  almost  insuperable  difficulties  which  he  over 
came.     His  young  manhood  was  at  a  time  prior  to  the  many 


174  The  Afro-American  Group 

schools  and  colleges  now  established  for  the  benefit  of  the 
race.  And,  in  addition  to  all  this,  like  Moses,  he  was  "slow 
of  speech."  Cassius  Mason  must  have  been  endowed  with 
extra-ordinary  faith,  with  a  stammering  tongue  and  other 
handicaps,  to  leave  the  shoemaker's  bench  and  set  out  for 
the  priesthood.  But,  thus  he  did,  and  what  he  wrought  in- 
terprets to  us  the  marvellous  mercy  and  goodness  of  God. 

The  name  of  James  Solomon  Russell  is  well-known  and 
praised,  throughout  the  whole  Church,  because  of  what 
God  has  wrought  through  his  ministry  and  service.  In  the 
present  case,  we  have  a  simple  country  lad  going  for  a  few 
years  to  the  great  Hampton  Industrial  School,  and  leaving 
before  graduation  to  be  "the  first  student"  of  what  was  to  be 
a  great  Southern  "School  of  the  Prophets"  for  colored  young 
men.  With  the  little  start  he  received  at  Hampton,  and  the 
training  received  at  the  theological  school  in  Petersburg,  in 
the  midst  of  ceaseless  missionary  endeavor,  by  the  help  ot 
God,  he  has  given  us  a  true  and  faithful  interpretation  of 
how  well-made  a  "self-made"  man  can  emerge,  even  in  the 
midst  of  supreme  difficulties  and  constant  burden  bearing. 
The  churches  he  has  brought  into  existence,  the  great  school 
brought  to  birth  and  built  up.  and  the  righteous  life  he  ha> 
led  are  all  evidences  of  a  wonderful  and  remarkable  man  who 
has  wrought  heroically  and  efficiently  to  the  glory  of  God, 
and  the  amelioration  of  a  suffering  people.  He  has  recently 
returned  to  this  country  from  a  most  enjoyable  visit  to  the 
Republic  of  Liberia. 

Another  notable  example  of  the  "self-educated"  con- 
structive leadership  of  the  Negro  priesthood  presents  itself 
in  the  character  of  James  Nelson  Deaver.  A  young  man 
having  a  fair  high  school  education,  a  musician,  and  a  gen- 
eral "hustler,"  having  already  accumulated  a  wife  and  three 
little  children,  was  minded  to  endure  "hardness"  to  the  last 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  175 

limit  in  order  to  attain  the  desire  of  his  heart.  Going  out 
from  St.  James,  Baltimore,  to  the  backwoods  of  Maryland, 
he  had  his  first  taste  of  the  hardships  which  awaited  him ; 
then  to  Florida,  and  from  Florida  to  West  Virginia,  and, 
lastly,  to  Atlantic  City,  N.  J.,  where  he  brought  into  being 
from  its  very  birth,  the  self-sustaining  congregation  of  St. 
Augustines  Church.  He  too  has  vindicated  the  call  w^hich 
God  gives  to  those  who,  without  any  fault  on  their  part, 
find  themselves  without  collegiate  training. 

Henry  Mason  Joseph,  formerly  a  school  master  in  the 
West  Indies,  came  to  this  country  and  secured  employment 
as  a  professor  in  St.  Augustines  School,  Raleigh.  He  was  an 
able  and  well-learned  man,  with  all  the  marks  of  the  rarest 
culture  and  refinement.  He  made  an  impress  upon  the  whole 
community  of  Raleigh,  colored  and  white,  as  few  men  before 
or  since.  Upon  his  resignation,  the  greatest  pressure  was 
brought  to  bear  upon  the  part  of  the  community  at  large,  to 
have  him  reconsider  his  determination.  While  at  St.  Augus- 
tines he  took  Orders.  He  was  ordained  deacon  in  1883  by 
Bishop  Lyman  and  priest  the  next  year  by  the  same  Bishop. 

Among  the  "pioneer"  men  the  name  of  Henry  Stephen 
McDufify  looms  large.  He  was  one  of  "the  first  fruits"  of 
the  labors  of  P'ather  Brady  who  planted  St.  Marks  Church, 
Wilmington,  X.  C.  Father  Brady  brought  him  into  the 
Church  and  Baptized  him.  He  was  trained  at  St.  Augus- 
tines. He  travelled  over  the  North  and  personally  solicited 
the  funds  for  the  erection  of  the  first  church  edifice  of  St. 
Josephs,  Fayetteville,  N.  C,  and,  then,  returning,  with  his 
own  hands  for  the  most  part,  erected  the  building.  He 
wrought  heroically  in  Asheville,  where  he  built  a  most  beau- 
tiful church,  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  and  finally  in  his  present 
field,  St.  Augustines,  Philadelphia. 

Primus  Priss  Alston  was  another  of  the  pioneer  clergy- 


176  The  Afro-Am  eric  ax  Group 

men  who  laid  strong  foundations  in  connection  with  the 
work  in  Charlotte,  N.  C,  his  first  and  only  work.  Rev.  Mr. 
Alston  was  ordained  deacon  in  1883  and  priest  in  1892  by 
Bishop  Lyman.  He  was  a  "prince"  as  a  financial  solicitor. 
Extremely  cautious  and  conservative  he  never  failed  to  dili- 
gently care  for  his  own  personal  interest  while  faithfully 
serving  the  Church. 

Dr.  Paulus  Moort  was  an  exceedingly  interesting  char- 
acter. He  came  to  this  country  from  the  West  Indies  early 
in  life  and  spent  much  of  his  time  in  preparation.  First  at 
Petersburg,  then  at  Raleigh,  and  finally  at  the  Philadelpliia 
Divinity  School  from  which  he  graduated.  He  afterwards 
took  a  course  in  medicine.  He  was  ordained  deacon  in  1882 
by  Bishop  Lee,  and  later  in  the  same  year  priest,  by  Bishop 
Stevens.  He  became  rector  of  Trinity  Church,  Monrovia, 
Liberia,  and  was  again  in  America  in  1889  as  the  clerical 
deputy  to  the  General  Convention  from  the  District  of  Lib- 
eria. He  and  the  Rev.  Thomas  W.  Cain  of  Texas,  were 
the  only  Negro  members  of  the  House  of  Deputies  of  that 
General  Convention.  Bishop  Ferguson  sat  in  the  House  of 
Bishops.  Upon  a  later  visit  to  this  country  in  the  interest 
of  his  work  he  was  stricken  and  died.  His  funeral  took  place 
from  St.  Thomas  Church,  Philadelphia,  and  Bishop  Lloyd, 
at  that  time  the  head  of  the  Missionary  Society  of  the  Church, 
was  present  and  took  part  in  the  obsequies.  His  remains 
were  laid  away  in  a  cemetery  near  the  city  of  Philadelphia. 

Much,  indeed,  would  have  to  be  written  to  give  any  ade- 
quate idea  of  the  extreme  value  of  the  missionary  and  other 
labors  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Henry  L.  Phillips,  the  senior  priest 
of  our  group  and  the  Archdeacon  for  work  in  Pennsylvania. 
It  so  happens  that  he  has  resided  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia 
for  w^ell-nigh  a  half  century.  This  city  has  been  the  chief 
center  of  interest  in  the  work  among  the  race  and  Dr.  Phil- 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  177 

ips  by  his  intimate  knowledge  of  men  of  wealth  and  influence 
and  benevolent  disposition,  has  rendered  peculiar  and  most 
valuable  service  on  behalf  of  the  work  throughout  the  en- 
tire country.  With  respect  to  his  work  and  influence  in  the 
city  of  Philadelphia  itself,  the  large  Church  constituency 
which  we  have,  with  ten  or  more  colored  congregations  and 
clergy  abundantly  witnesseth. 

J.  J.  N.  Thompson,  born  in  Jamaica,  was  ordained  by 
Bishop  Gregg  of  Texas  early  in  the  nineties.  He  did  good 
work  at  Tyler  in  that  State.  In  company  with  others,  white, 
he  passed  the  most  creditable  examination  for  ordination  to 
the  priesthood.  He  attended  the  regular  morning  service  of 
the  white  parish  church  in  a  town  of  Texas,  Bishop  Kin- 
solving  being  present,  and  according  to  assignment,  read 
the  lessons.  The  event  of  a  colored  priest  thus  appearing  in 
the  chancel  of  a  white  church  caused  some  local  feeling,  but 
the  Bishop  stood  bi^avely  behind  and  suj^ported  Father 
Thompson.  Removing  to  Mobile,  Ala.,  in  a  few  years,  he 
made,  almost,  if  not  entirely,  a  self-supporting  parish  of  the 
mission  of  that  place,  which  had  existed  as  such  for  a  number 
of  years.  Later,  he  removed  to  Brunswick,  Ga.,  and  re- 
peated the  same  treatment,  constituting  St.  Athanasius 
Church,  Brunswick,  a  self-supporting  parish.  At  the  same 
time,  he  organized  a  new  mission  at  Waycross,  Ga. 

August  E.  Jensen,  from  the  Danish  West  Indies,  one  of 
the  ablest  young  men  sent  out  by  King  Hall,  Washington, 
D.  C,  after  good  work  in  Tampa  and  Jacksonville,  Fla.,  re- 
moved to  Croom  in  the  diocese  of  Washington,  where  he 
rendered  exceptionally  fine  educational  and  religious  work. 
In  1903  Bishop  Scarborough  invited  him  to  Asbury  Park, 
N.  J.,  to  "try  his  hand"  with  the  little  mission  at  that  point. 
He  could  promise  him  only  five  hundred  dollars  a  year.  Fath- 
er Jensen  accepted.    By  the  end  of  the  year  he  had  organized 


178  The  Afro-Americax  Group 

the  mission  into  a  self-supporting  parish,  and  was  called  as 
its  first  rector;  and,  at  the  same  time  upon  the  church  lot, 
ground  was  broken  for  a  rectory  w^hich  was  completed  three 
months  later.  His  health  having  failed,  for  a  while,  he  re- 
signed the  rectorship.  After  a  period  of  rest,  he  resumed 
work,  and  immediately  planted  a  strong  and  vigorous  mis- 
sion in  Trenton,  the  capital  city  of  New  Jersey. 

Joshua  Bowden  Massiah,  among  the  older  and  best  edu- 
cated of  the  clergy,  served  a  number  of  points  in  the  country. 
He  was  graduated  from  the  General  Theological  Seminary, 
New  York.  After  an  unusually  successful  work  in  Detroit, 
he  removed  to  Chicago  where  he  procured  a  magnificent 
church  edifice  for  St.  Thomas  Church,  and  from  a  few 
hundred  communicants  built  it  up  to  nearly  one  thousand. 
He  enjoyed  the  distinction  of  being  the  only  colored  priest, 
who,  by  special  invitation  preached  in  St.  Pauls  Cathedral, 
London. 
V 

The  Rev.  William  Victor  Tunnell  graduated  from  the 
General  Theological  Seminary,  New  York,  in  1887,  with  the 
''first  honors"  of  the  class,  he  being  the  only  colored  person 
therein.  He  w^on  the  prize  of  a  gold  watch  for  extemporan- 
eous speaking.  After  constituting  the  long  struggling  St. 
Augustines  mission,  Brooklyn,  into  a  parish,  he  resigned  to 
a-^cept  a  professorship  in  history  in  his  alma  m.ater,  Howard 
University,  Washington,  D.  C.  Some  years  later  King  Hall 
was  established  in  the  same  city,  and  he  was  placed  in  charge 
as  warden.  When  it  became  the  policy  of  the  Church  to 
concentrate  on  one  theological  institution.  King  Hall  was 
closed,  and  its  students  transferred  to  the  Bishop  Payne 
Divinity  School,  Petersburg,  Va.  Warden  Tunnell  returned 
to  the  professorship  at  Howard.  In  the  meantime,  he  re- 
tained the  pastoral  care  of  St.  Philips  mission,  Anacostia,  D. 


DEACONNESS   BETCHLER 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  181 

C.  For  a  time  he  was  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Education 
of  the  city  of  Washington. 

John  W.  Perry,  a  pioneer  clergyman  in  the  diocese  of 
North  Carolina,  spent  his  entire  life  in  that  one  diocese,  and 
in  connection  with  the  mission  at  Tarboro,  where  he  not  only 
did  good  work,  but  left  behind  a  name  and  a  character  as  a 
perpetual  asset  to  the  community  in  which  he  lived  and  died. 
He,  as  well  as  his  wife,  was  educated  at  St.  Augustines,  Ra- 
leigh. 

Many  have  been  the  charming  and  sweet  characters  of 
Southern  white  women  who  have  wrought  among  and  in 
our  group  as  though  there  was  no  such  thing  as  "race  preju- 
dice." However,  that  of  Deaconess  Mary  Amanda  Becht- 
ler,  a  North  Carolinian  by  birth,  is  worthy  of  special  men- 
tion, and  special  honor.  She  gave  her  life  in  sweet  ministries 
among  the  poor  in  connection  with  St.  Marys  Chapel,  Wash- 
ington, under  the  pastoral  supervision  of  a  Negro  priest,  a 
native  of  South  Carolina,  the  Rev.  Oscar  L.  Mitchell.  Dr. 
Macka\ -Smith  (rector  of  St.  Johns  parish)  "in  the  presence 
of  Dr.  Huntington,  explained  these  circumstances  to  Miss 
Bechtler.  Of  course  he  expected  her  to  decline  the  call.  He 
put  the  question  directly  to  her,  and  asked  her  how  she  felt 
about  working  under  the  direction  of  a  colored  man.  Her 
reply  was  that  if  the  man  is  a  Christian  and  a  gentleman  his 
color  made  no  difference  to  her.  And  Dr.  Mackay-Smith 
by  cross  questioning  could  not  get  her  to  retract  that  state- 
ment. He  left  her  without  urging  the  call  and  asked  her  to 
consider  the  matter  further.     But  her  statement  w^as  final." 

It  was  the  good  pleasure  of  this  author  to  meet  Deaconess 
Bechtler  frequently  and  we  thank  God  for  every  remem- 
brance of  such  a  true,  pure  and  beautiful  type  of  woman- 
hood who,  for  Christ's  sake,  made  herself  perfectly  at  home 
with  our  group. 


182  Thk  Afro-Am ericax  Group 

This  is  not  the  only  instance  of  this  character.  But  it  is 
one  of  great  significance.  Quoting  from  the  beautiful  mem- 
orial volume  in  her  memory:  "Attention  to  kindred  and  rela- 
tions as  well  as  she  loved  them,  was  not  allowed  to  interfere 
with  a  single  engagement  at  her  post  of  duty.  Her  dearest 
friends,  even  though  they  may  have  come  from  far,  would 
have  to  wait  until  her  appointment  with  the  poorest  Negro 
child  had  been  kept.  An  appointment  to  her,  even  though 
it  be  a  poor  waif,  was  a  sacred  duty;  and  would  be  kept  as 
conscientiously  as  if  it  had  been  with  a  prince  or  a  State 
official.  She  was  once  asked  in  a  somewhat  sneering  way: 
'Do  you  worship  where  you  work?'  Her  answer  was:  'I 
never  luorship  anyw^here  else.'  And  the  fact  is  that  unless 
out  of  town,  she  was  never  known  to  attend  a  service  else- 
where at  an  hour  when  there  was  one  at  St.  Marys.  She 
made  her  Communion  regularly  at  the  altar  where  she  work- 
ed, kneeling  side  by  side  with  those  among  whom  she 
labored." 

Miss  Bechtler  was  a  Southern  woman.  Miss  Ethel 
Roosevelt,  was  not  only  a  Northern  woman,  but  she  was  the 
daughter  of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  an  occupant 
of  the  White  House.  Miss  Roosevelt  found  it  a  joy  and  a 
pleasure  to  regularly  fill  her  post  as  a  Sunday  School  teacher 
in  this  same  chapel,  despite  the  fact  that  the  priest  in  charge 
was  a  man  of  African  descent. 

It  is  a  thing  most  difficult  for  the  present  generation  of 
educated  colored  people  to  appreciate  the  deep  sincerity  of  the 
best  blood  of  Virginia  immediately  following  the  Civil  War 
in  helpfulness  towards  our  group.  Just  a  few  years  after 
the  war,  a  young  Virginian  who  had  worn  a  Confederate 
jacket,  had  become  a  clergyman  of  the  Church  in  Cincin- 
natti,  Ohio.  For  several  Sundays  a  colored  woman  of 
some    refinement,    with    her    daughters,    had    attended    the 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  183 

church  of  which  the  clergyman  was  rector,  occupying  the 
"free  pews."  This  lady  sent  in  a  request  to  the  vestry  for 
the  rental  of  a  pew.  The  vestrymen  seemed  somewhat  em- 
barrassed. The  young  rector,  vacating  the  chair,  and  begging 
to  be  excused,  requested  the  senior  warden  to  preside.  As  he 
left  the  room  he  expressed  the  wish  that  the  vestry  might 
find  it  convenient  to  let  the  lady  have  rhe  pew;  and,  he  added 
that  in  case  they  could  not,  they  might  consider  his  resigna- 
tion as  rector  of  the  parish.  The  lady  got  the  pew.  That 
clergyman  was  none  other  than  the  good  and  brave  Bishop 
of  Texas,  the  Rt.  Rev.  Dr.  George  Herbert  Kinsolving. 

Some  years  after  the  war  a  young  girl,  a  native  of  Lynch- 
burg. Va.,  who  was  attending  school  in  Philadelphia,  and 
had  become  a  devout  member  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  upon 
her  return  to  her  Virginia  home,  where  there  was  no  colored 
Episcopal  Church,  was  unsuccessfully  urged  by  one  of  the 
most  influential  white  ladies  of  that  community  of  the  Epis- 
copal Church  to  attend  the  white  church  and  occupy  a  seat 
in  the  family  pew. 

In  the  "color  question"  debate  which  came  before  the 
Virginia  Council,  in  days  that  are  past,  the  Rev.  Arthur  S. 
Lloyd  (now  Bishop)  and  Rev.  Dr.  Carl  E.  Grammer,  pro- 
fessor of  Church  History  in  the  Virginia  Seminary,  both 
young  men,  made  as  radical  speeches  upon  the  floor  of  the 
Convention  for  the  full  and  free  admission  of  colored  dele- 
gates as  could  have  been  possible  by  any  man.  Major  Mann 
Page,  a  distinguished  layman,  living  in  the  "black  belt,"  who 
had  politically  suffered  by  reason  of  the  ignorance  and  stupi- 
dity of  black  voters,  in  spite  of  the  same,  boldly  registered 
his  opposition  to  any  "color  line"  in  the  Church  of  God.  And 
we  could  name  instance  after  instance  of  this  sort.  It  was  a 
difficult  situation,  and  we  must,  in  honor  to  this  class  of  dis- 
tinguished Virginians  in  whose  life  we  have  ever  lived,  say 


184  The  Afro-Americax  Group 

that  they  valantly  did  the  best  they  could,  but  the  illiberal 
whites  on  the  one  side,  and  the  unpreparedness  of  the  colored 
on  the  other  hand,  severely  handicapped  them  in  the  realiza- 
tion of  the  best  wishes  of  their  hearts.  "As  a  man  thinketh 
in  his  heart,  so  is  he" 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

THE  CLERGY  LIST  PRIOR  TO    1866 

1.  Absalom  Jones,  deacon  in  1795  and  priest  in  1804.  By 
Bishop  White  of  Pennsylvania.  Elsewhere  particulars  of 
the  life  of  Mr.  Jones  have  been  given. 

2.  Feter  Williams,  deacon  in  1819,  priest  in  1826.  By 
Bishop  Hobart. 

3.  William  Levington,  deacon  in  1824,  priest  in  1828.  By 
Bishop  White  of  Pennsylvania.  Mr.  Levington  would  have 
been  ordained  to  the  priesthood  in  Maryland,  but  for  the 
death  of  Bishop  Kemp,  occasioned  by  injuries  received  from 
an  up-set  of  the  stage  coach,  as  he  was  returning  from  Phil- 
adelphia, whither  he  had  gone  to  take  part  in  the  consecra- 
tion of  Bishop  Onderdonk.  At  the  request  of  the  ecclesiasti- 
cal authorities  of  Maryland,  Bishop  White  advanced  him  to 
the  priesthood.  And  because  of  the  vacancy  in  the  Maryland 
Episcopate,  Bishop  Onderdonk  of  Pennsylvania,  officiate4  at 
the  first  Confirmation  ever  held  in  St.  James  Church,  Balti- 
more. 

4.  James  C.  Ward,  deacon  in  1824.  By  Bishop  White. 
Mr.  Ward  was  a  school  teacher,  and  it  does  not  appear  that 
he  was  ever  in  pastoral  work.  He  only  lived  a  few  years. 

5.  Jacob  Oson,  deacon  in  Christ  Church,  Hartford,  Conn., 
February  15th,  1828,  and  priest  the  next  day,  February  16th. 
By  Bishop  Brownell.  Mr.  Oson,  who  had  been  a  useful 
catechist  and  lay  reader  among  our  people  in  New  Haven, 
had  studied  theology  there  under  the  Rev.  Harry  Croswell 


186  The  Afro-American  Group 

sionary  to  the  fieid  of  Liberia,  West  Africa,  by  the  Mission- 
ary Society  of  the  General  Convention.  However,  he  did 
and  at  the  time  of  his  ordination  had  been  appointed  a  mis- 
not  reach  Africa,  inasmuch  as  he  departed  this  life  in  this 
country  before  the  appointed  time  of  his  sailing  for  his  field 
of  labor. 

6.  Gustavus  V.  Caesar,  and  Edward  Jones,  were  ordained 
to  the  diaconate  in  1830,  by  Bishop  Brownell  of  Connecticut, 
for  the  African  field.  They  reached  Africa  and  there  labor- 
ed. 

7.  William  Douglass,  deacon,  June  22,  1834.  By  Bishop 
Stone  of  Maryland.  In  recording  this  ordination,  the  first 
of  its  kind  in  Maryland,  and  anywhere  else  south  of  Penn- 
sylvania, Bishop  Stone  says: 

"On  Sunday,  22nd,  I  preached  in  St.  Stephens 
parish,  Cecil  county  (Sassafras  Neck),  and  admitt- 
ed to  the  Order  of  Deacons,  William  Douglass, 
(a  colored  man),  and  in  the  afternoon  of  the  same 
day  I  Confirmed  three  persons.  Many  persons 
who  were  present  never  before  witnessed  an  ordina- 
tion, and  I  am  sure  that  the  impression  made  upon 
•  their  minds  was  favorable  to  the  Church  and  her 
institutions.  In  the  afternoon  by  previous  arrange- 
ment, the  church  was  given  up  to  the  colored  peo- 
ple, and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Douglass  preached  to  them 
an  interesting  sermon." 

Mr.  Douglass  was  ordained  a  priest  in  St.  Thomas 
Church,  Philadelphia,  February  14,  1836,  by  Bishop  H.  U. 
Onderdonk.  The  Bishop  records  the  impression  made  upon 
him  as  follows: 

''On   Sunday,   February    14th,   in   St.  Thomas 
(African)    Church,    Philadelphia,    I   admitted   th<^ 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  187 

Rev.  William  Douglass,  deacon,  to  the  Holy  Order 
of  Priests.  Mr.  Douglass  is  a  man  of  color;  and 
I  take  the  opportunity  of  recording  my  very  favor- 
able estimate  of  his  highly  respectable  intellect,  and 
most  amiable  qualities,  which  entirely  relieved  my 
mind,  in  his  case,  from  the  anxieties  I  had  long  felt 
in  reference  to  this  department  of  Episcopal  dut>\ 
He  ministers  to  a  congregation  at  unity  in  itself, 
much  attached  to  him,  and  improving,  under  his 
pastoral  care,  in  the  principles  and  duties  of  our 
common  Christianity." 

8.  Isaiah  G.  DeGrasse.  Bishop  Onderdonk  of  New  York, 
thus  records  this  ordination:  "Wednesda\',  July  11,  1838 — 
In  St.  Philips  Church,  New  York,  admitted  Isaiah  G.  De- 
Grasse, a  young  man  of  African  extraction,  whose  examina- 
tions had  evinced  ample  literary  and  theological  attainments, 
to  Deacon's  Orders.  Mr.  DeGrasse  was  immediately  ap- 
pointed to  the  charge  of  the  missionary  station  comprising 
the  colored  Episcopalians  in  the  towns  of  Jamaica,  Newton 
and  Flushing,  Queen's  count\ ." 

In  the  Convention  of   1841   the  same  Bishop   reported 
the  happy  translation  of  Mr.  DeGrasse,  as  follows: 

"The  Rev.  Isaiah  G.  DeGrasse,  Deacon,  a 
young  man  of  African  extraction,  who  had  entered 
ministry  and  prosecuted  its  duties  with  talents  and 
ecquirements  of  a  superior  order,  having  removed 
to  the  West  Indies,  and  made  there  an  impression 
promising  great  future  usefulness,  was  soon  taken 
by  a  happy  Christian  death,  to  the  account  of  his 
short  stewardship." 

9.  Alexander  Crummell  D.  D.,  LL.  D.  On  May  1, 
1842,    in    St.    Pauls   Cathedral,    Boston,    Mass.,   Alexander 


188  The  Afro-Americax  Group 

Crummell  was  ordained  deacon  by  Bishop  Griswold.  He 
was  ordained  priest  in  Philadelphia  in  1844,  by  Bishop  Lee, 
of  Delaware,  acting  for  Pennsylvania.  Dr.  Crummell  was 
baptized  in,  and  was  a  parishoner  of  St.  Philips  Church, 
New  York.  He  was  a  very  bright  youth,  and  when  about 
twenty  years  of  age  was  bold  and  courageous  enough  to  ap- 
ply to  be  received  as  a  student  in  the  General  Theological 
Seminary.  He  had  the  strong  backing  and  influence  of 
Bishop  George  Washington  Doane,  of  New  Jersey,  Dr. 
Whittingham,  dean  of  the  seminary,  and  the  Honorable 
John  Jay.  But  he  failed  to  be  admitted,  and  because  of  his 
persistency  in  the  matter  his  name  was  dropped  from  the 
list  as  a  candidate  for  Holy  Orders.  Whereupon,  by  the 
aid  of  his  strong  friends,  he  was  admitted  a  candidate  in  the 
diocese  of  Massachusetts,  attended  the  theological  seminary 
in  Boston,  and,  in  due  season,  ordained  to  the  ministry. 
Bishop  Clarke,  of  Rhode  Island,  w^riting  many  years  after- 
wards with  respect  to  his  examination  for  the  diaconate,  said : 

"I  remember  that  Dr.  Croswell  afterwards  re- 
marked to  me,  that  no  candidate  for  the  ministry 
had  ever  passed  through  his  hands  who  had  given 
him  more  entire  satisfaction." 

Dr.  Crummell's  grandfather  was  an  African  king.  Short- 
ly after  his  ordination  as  priest,  an  unexpected  opportunity 
came  to  him  of  still  further  pursunig  his  studies  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Cambridge,  England.  After  having  received  his 
degree  from  that  institution,  he  removed  to  Liberia,  West 
Africa,  where,  in  addition  to  ministerial  labors,  he  became  a 
professor  in  the  College  of  Liberia.  Some  few  years  after 
the  close  of  the  Civil  War  he  returned  to  this  country  and 
settling  in  the  city  of  Washington,  he  founded  St.  Lukes 
Church  at  the  National  Capital.     He  was  the  author  of  a 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  189 

number  of  books  and  tracts.  A  prominent  and  distinguished 
Presbyterian  minister  of  Philadelphia,  Dr.  Matthew  Ander- 
son, said  of  him: 

"No  man  was  ever  truer  to  his  fellowman,  and 
to  the  Negro,  than  was  Dr.  Crummell,  and  no  man 
understood  more  thoroughly  the  mode  of  thought, 
the  cast  of  mind,  the  aspirations  and  in  the  inward 
longings,  than  did  he,  and  no  man  had  greater  love 
and  admiration  for  his  people,  or  greater  confidence 
in  their  future,  than  he." 

10.  Eli  M'orthington  Stokes.  In  St.  James  Church,  Bal- 
timore, October  1,  1843,  Mr.  Stokes  was  ordained  deacon  by 
Bishop  Whittingham.  He  was  ordained  priest  in  1846  in 
New  Haven,  Conn.,  by  Bishop  Brownell. 

Mr.  Stokes  was  deeply  and  fervently  imbued  with  the 
missionary  spirit.  Reference,  elsewhere,  has  been  made  to 
his  founding  of  St.  Lukes  Church,  New  Haven,  and  of  his 
work  in  Providence,  R.  I.  Right  here  we  want  to  say  a 
word  of  the  late  Bishop  Henshaw  of  Rhode  Island,  not  only 
the  warm  friend  of  Mr.  Stokes,  but  likewise  of  the  colored 
race.  Bishop  Henshaw  came  to  the  Episcopate  from  the 
rectorship  of  St.  Peters  Church,  Baltimore-  In  Baltimore 
he  was  the  ever  faithful  friend  of  St.  James  First  African 
Church  .  He  delivered  the  sermon  at  the  consecration  of  its 
first  edifice.  He  officiated  at  the  funeral  of  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Levington,  the  founder  of  the  parish.  Going  from  the 
South  to  the  North,  he  carried  with  him  a  faithful  and  true 
heart  for  the  black  people  in  his  new  field  of  labor.  The  very 
first  effort  of  Dr.  Crummell  had  been  in  the  city  of  Provi- 
dence. Dr.  Henshaw  had  only  been  a  Bishop  for  about  two 
months  when  he  penned  the  words  which  we  quote.  In  his 
journal  is  the  following  entry : 


190  The  Afro-A.mericax  Group 

"Twentieth  Sunday  after  Trinity,  November 
12th,  (1843).  I  conducted  Evening  Prayer  in 
Christ  Church,  Providence.  It  having  been  repre- 
sented to  me  that  the  congregation  of  our  colored 
brethren  who  occupy  that  neat  and  commodious  edi- 
fice, were  involved  in  a  debt  of  about  $2,000  for 
the  building,  I  invited  them  to  meet  me  on  the  fol- 
lowing evening  in  the  church  for  the  purpose  of 
suggesting  a  plan  by  which  they  might  relieve 
themselves  from  their  embarassment.  The  meeting 
was  well  attended,  the  plan  proposed  was  received 
with  approbation,  and  a  subscription  was  made 
which  was  highly  liberal,  considering  the  pecuniary 

ability  of  the  people If  they  steadily  persevere 

in  the  work,  there  is  reason  to  hope  that  by  the  pay- 
ment monthly  of  small  sums  which  they  can  afford 
to  spare,  this  people  will  be  able,  chiefly  by  their 
own  contributions,  to  extinguish  their  debt  with- 
in the  allotted  period." 

In  1846,  Rev.  Mr.  Stokes  in  his  first  report  to  the  Dio- 
cesan Convention  of  Rhode  Island  says: 

"I  commenced  my  labors  in  this  parish,  the 
29th  of  May  last  past,  and  have  continued  the  re- 
gular services  of  the  Church  three  times  on  every 
Lord's  Day,  and  on  every  Friday  evening.  I  am 
encouraged  by  the  prompt  attendance  of  the  con- 
gregation who  are  now  anxious  to  liquidate  the 
debt  on  their  church  edifice;  and  are  willing  to  do 
all  that  is  within  their  power  to  accomplish  that 
laudable  object;  and  from  their  prompt  response 
to  a  call  that  I  made  on  them,  to  contribute  some- 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  191 

thing  towards  the  payment  on  the  debt  on  the 
church  edifice,  before  the  sitting  of  the  Conven- 
tion which  resulted  in  the  sum  of  $22.50,  at  only 
two  collections.  I  feel  so  far  encouraged  as  to  re- 
commend them  to  the  sympathies  of  the  diocese 
generally." 

Mr.  Stokes,  after  proving  a  true  missionary  to  the  end, 
laid  down  his  life  in  Africa.  From  a  correspondent  in  the 
"Spirit  of  Missions"  under  date  of  February  27,  1867,  the 
following  is  taken:  "His  death  will  be  greatly  felt  just  now 
in  our  mission.  He  was  a  thorough-going,  energetic,  work- 
ing old  man.  He  died  in  the  faith  of  the  Gospel  he  had 
preached." 

11.  IViUiafu  C.  Miniroe.  Mr.  Munroe  was  ordained 
deacon  in  1846  and  priest  in  1849  by  Bishop  McCrosky. 
Reference  is  made  elsewhere  to  his  work  in  Detroit.  He  re- 
moved to  Africa  where  he  labored  and  died. 

12.  Samuel  Vreeland  Berry.  Mr.  Berry  was  ordained  dea- 
con in  1846  in  New  York  by  Bishop  Horatio  Potter,  and 
priest  in  1849  by  the  same  Bishop.  Father  Berry  labored 
in  the  cities  of  New  York,  Buffalo  and  New  Haven,  Conn. 
After  the  Civil  War,  when  Bishop  Atkinson  gave  forth  a 
generous  invitation  for  clergy,  colored  and  white,  to  come  to 
his  diocese  and  labor  among  the  colored  people,  Father 
Berry  was  among  the  very  first  to  respond.  Going  to  Ashe- 
ville,  N.  C,  he  labored  long  and  earnestly,  both  in  educa- 
tional and  pastoral  work  until  worn  out,  he  returned  to  his 
home  in  the  north  to  die. 

13.  Harrison  Holmes  Webb.  'Mr.  Webb  came  to  Balti- 
more early  in  the  forties  from  Columbia,  Pa.,  where  he  had 
been  engaged  in  the  lumber  business.  Connecting  himself 
with  St.  James  First  African  Church,  in  1843,  he  was  con- 


192  The  Afro-American  Group 

firmed.  Very  soon  thereafter  he  became  very  active  in  the 
work,  being  appointed  lay  reader  and  teacher  of  the  parish 
school.  In  1847,  with  others,  he  organized  St.  James  Male 
Beneficial  Society,  an  institution  in  that  early  day  which 
comprehended  the  most  substantial  and  respectable  colored 
men  of  that  city.  In  1853  he  was  ordained  deacon  by  Bishop 
Whittingham  and  became  the  clerical  assistant  of  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Mcjilton,  the  rector  of  the  parish.  In  1856  Bishop 
Whitehouse  of  Illinois,  acting  for  the  Bishop  of  Maryland, 
advanced  him  to  the  priesthood.  Shortly  afterwards,  upon 
the  withdrawal  of  Mr.  Mcjilton,  he  succeeded  him  as  rector 
of  the  parish.  He  continued  therein  until  1872,  when,  be- 
cause of  advancing  old  age,  and  infirmities,  he  resigned  the 
rectorship.  He  entered  into  life  eternal  December  12,  1878. 
14.  James  Theodore  Holly,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.  Bishop  Holly 
was  born  in  Georgetown,  District  of  Columbia,  in  1829,  of 
Maryland  parentage.  He  was  Christened  and  Confirmed  in 
the  Roman  Catholic  Church.  He  was  taught  the  trade  of 
a  shoemaker.  He  was  of  that  remarkable  group  of  colored 
men  about  that  time,  who  became  thoroughly  distinguished 
as  ''self-made."  He  worked  at  his  trade  in  Brooklyn,  New 
York,  and  from  there  he  removed  to  Detroit,  Mich.,  at 
which  latter  place,  having  arrived  at  manhood,  he  renounced 
Romanism  and  entered  the  communion  of  the  Episcopal 
Church.  He  taught  school,  both  in  Buffalo  and  Detroit, 
and  became  a  towering  figure  in  the  conventions  of  colored 
men  held  in  the  free  States  before  the  Civil  War.  He  was 
ordained  deacon  in  St.  Matthews  Church,  Detroit,  in  1855, 
by  Bishop  McCrosky.  Soon  thereafter  he  made  a  trip  of 
inspection  to  the  republic  of  Haiti,  and  upon  his  return  the 
next  year,  he  was  ordained  priest  by  the  Bishop  of  Connecti- 
cut, and  given  the  charge  of  St.  Lukes  Church,  New  Haven. 
Resigning  the  rectorship  of  this  church  In  1861,  he  headed  a 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  195 

band  of  colonists  who  settled  in  the  republic  of  Haiti.  Here 
he  organized  the  Convocation  of  the  Haitian  Church,  being 
elected  its  dean.  In  1874,  in  the  city  of  New  York,  he  was 
consecrated  the  first  Bishop  of  the  Haitian  Church.  His 
death  occurred  in  Port  au  Prince,  Haiti,  March  13,  1911. 
One  writing  from  Haiti  at  the  time  said  of  the  funeral: 

"No  one  remembers  seeing  such  a  funeral.  The  Presi- 
dent sent  a  company  of  his  Guard  of  Honor,  the  Palace 
Band  (the  best  in  the  West  Indies)  and  four  aids-de-camp. 
There  were  six  magnificent  w^reaths  and  a  profusion  of  bo- 
quets.  The  crowd  that  followed  was  immense — the  side 
walks  and  balconies  were  crowded  with  people  to  see  the 
funeral  go  by.  The  Mayor  of  the  city  sent  to  inquire 
ihrough  what  streets  the  procession  would  go,  and  then  sent 
to  have  those  streets  perfectly  cleared.  People  have  told  us 
that  after  the  funeral  they  could  not  find  a  piece  of  mourn- 
ing in  town;  everywhere  they  were  told  that  'Bishop  Holly 
had  cleaned  them  out,'  so  great  was  the  number  of  those 
who  thought  it  their  duty  to  take  mourning  for  the  Bishop. 
The  funeral  services  began  punctually  at  eight  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  it  was  one  o'clock  when  we  were  leaving  the  church- 
yard where  his  remains  were  buried.  There  were  eleven 
clergymen  in  attendance." 

On  the  occasion  of  Bishop  Holly's  one  visit  to  Great 
Britain,  to  attend  the  Second  Lambeth  Conference,  by  invi- 
tation of  the  late  Dean  Stanley,  he  preached  in  Westminster 
Abbey  on  St.  James  Day,  a  most  eloquent  sermon,  extracts 
from  the  peroration  of  which  went  the  rounds  of  the 
English-speaking  world : 

"And  now  on  the  shores  of  old  England,  the 
cradle  of  that  Anglo-Saxon  Christianity  by  which  I 
have  been  in  part,  at  least,  illuminated,  standing 


196  The  Afro-American  Group 

beneath  the  vaulted  roof  of  this  monumental  pile 
redolent  with  the  piety  of  bygone  generations  dur- 
ing so  many  ages;  in  the  presence  of  the  'storied 
urn  and  animated  bust'  that  hold  the  sacred  ashes 
and  commemorate  the  buried  grandeur  of  so  many 
illustrious  personages,  I  catch  a  fresh  inspiration 
and  new  impulse  of  the  divine  missionary  spirit  of 
our  common  Christianity;  and  here  in  the  presence 
of  God,  of  angels  and  of  men,  on  this  day  sacred 
to  the  memory  of  an  apostle  whose  blessed  name 
was  called  over  me  at  my  baptism,  and  as  I  lift  up 
my  voice  for  the  first  and  perhaps  the  last  time  in 
any  of  England's  sainted  shrines,  I  dedicate  myself 
anew  to  the  work  of  God,  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ 
and  the  salvation  of  my  fellow-men  in  the  far  dis- 
tant isle  of  the  Caribbean  Sea  that  has  become  the 
chosen  field  of  my  special  labors. 

''O  thou  Saviour  Christ,  Son  of  the  Living 
God  who,  when  Thou  wast  spurned  by  the  Jews 
of  the  race  of  Shem,  and,  who,  when  delivered  up 
without  a  cause  by  the  Romans  of  the  race  of 
Japheth,  on  the  day  of  thy  ignominous  crucifixion, 
hadst  Thy  ponderous  cross  born  to  Golgotha's  sum- 
mit on  the  stalwart  shoulders  of  Simon  the  Cyren- 
ian  of  the  race  of  Ham,  I  pray  Thee,  O  precious 
Saviour,  remember  that  forlorn,  despised  and  re- 
jected race  whose  son  thus  bore  Thy  cross  when 
Thou  shalt  come  in  the  power  and  majesty  of  thy 
eternal  kingdom  to  distribute  Thy  crowns  of  ever- 
lasting glory.  And  give  to  me  then,  not  a  place  at 
Thy  right  hand  or  at  Thy  left,  but  only  the  place 
of  a  gate-keeper  at  the  entrance  of  the  Holy  City, 
the  new  Jersualem  that  I  may  behold  my  redeemed 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  197 

brethren  partakers  with  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob, 
of  all  the  joys  of  Thy  glorious  and  everlasting 
kingdom." 
15.  William  Johnson  Alston.  Mr.  Alston  was  born  in 
Warrenton,  N.  C.  A  few  years  ago  a  distinguished  friend 
of  the  present  author,  the  Hon.  John  P.  Green  of  Cleveland, 
Ohio,  published  an  exceedingly  interesting  autobiography. 
Mr.  Green,  pushing  on  towards  eighty  years  of  age,  is  still 
vigorous  and  active,  and  as  one  of  the  wardens  of  St.  An- 
drews Church,  Cleveland,  may  be  seen  on  any  Sunday  morn- 
ing passing  the  contribution  plate.  He  has  been  for  a  long 
while  active  in  national  affairs.  Many  years  ago  he  was  the 
first  colored  person  ever  elected  a  member  of  the  Ohio  Sen- 
ate. During  the  administration  of  President  McKinley  he 
occupied  the  office  of  United  States  Stamp  Agent  at  Wash- 
ington. Mr.  Green's  father  was  a  merchant  tailor  in  the 
State  of  North  Carolina  well-nigh  a  century  ago.  The  Rev. 
William  J.  Alston  as  a  youth  and  a  young  man,  served  his 
apprenticeship  under  the  elder  Green.  In  his  book  IVlr.  John 
P.  Green  says:  "For  eight  years  he  was  under  my  father's 
eye  and  finished  his  apprenticeship — cum  magna  laude." 
Continuing  at  length,  he  says: 

"  'William,'  as  he  was  called,  was  for  years  bubbling 
over  with  animal  spirits;  he  was  rude,  boisterous  and  untidy, 
and  more  than  once  had  to  be  disciplined.  It  was  the  general 
opinion  of  William  that  he  was  a  'ne'er-do-well,'  and  that  he 
could  come  to  no  good  end.  On  one  occasion  he  tied  up  his 
small  wardrobe  in  a  bandanna  handkerchief  and  shipped  to 
'sail  before  the  mast,'  however  he  was  intercepted  by  my 
father  before  the  departure  of  the  schooner,  taken  with  his 
luggage  back  to  his  home,  soundly  'flogged.'  and  given  some 
wholesome  advice  for  his  government  in  the  future. 

"Shortly  thereafter  he  was  invited  to  participate  in  the 


198  The  Afro-Americax  Group 

exercises  of  a  singing  society  which  held  Sunday  afternoon 
sessions.  He  accepted  the  invitation,  became  a  regular  and 
most  interested  member,  and  ultimately  announced  his  in- 
tention to  study  theology  for  the  Episcopal  ministry.  This 
resolution  havmg  been  received  with  marked  favor  by  his 
father,  the  late  Oscar  Alston  of  Raleigh,  N.  C,  he  was,  in 
a  way,  matriculated  in  an  institution  at  Chapel  Hill,  N.  C, 
where  he  was  prepared  for  college.  After  that  he  was  grad- 
uated from  Oberlin  College  in  the  later  fifties;  and,  finally, 
at  Gambier,  Ohio,  became  a  full-fledged  priest  in  the  Epis- 
copal Church.  In  many  years  this  true  and  tried  servant  of 
God,  as  rector  of  both  St.  Philips  Church,  New  York  and 
St.  Thomas  Church,  Philadelphia,  preached  "Jesus  Christ 
and  Him  crucified;"  and  his  sweet  exemplary  life  was  a 
beacon  light  to  many  w^ho  perhaps  otherwise  would  have  been 
stranded  and  lost. 

The  following  anecdote  related  by  Rev.  Mr.  Alston  to 
my  dear  mother  in  my  presence  goes  far  to  prove  the  almost 
intolerable  conditions  which  prevailed  even  in  religious  edu- 
cational institutions  in  the  United  States  prior  to  the  Civil 
War. 

"Being  the  only  colored  student  at  Kenyon  Colege,  prior 
to  the  abolition  of  slavery,  Alston  was  the  cynosure  of  all 
eyes;  and,  at  times  not  a  little  at  a  loss  for  companionship 
and  even  association.  To  such  an  extent  was  this  true  that 
on  one  occasion  while  taking  a  stroll  in  the  suburbs  of  the 
old  college  town  he,  )ivas  confronted  by  a  cow,  who  honoring 
him  with  a  friendly  stare,  turned  out  of  his  way — gave  him 
"gangway,"  as  the  vulgar  expression  of  our  day  would  have 
it.  Delighted  at  the  unusual  recognition  and  courtesy  shown 
him  by  the  humble  brute  Alston  saluted  her  and  exclaimed: 
"Good  morning  Mrs.  Cow."  It  goes  without  saying  we 
had  a  hearty  laugh  over  the  incident. 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  199 

"Another  story  related  by  him  at  the  same  time  is  recalled 
by  the  former.  During  a  summer  vacation  while  exerting 
himself  to  add  to  the  contents  of  his  meagre  purse  he  shipped 
as  a  waiter  on  a  steamer  and  went  in  search  of  some  other  re- 
munerative emplo\  ment.  The  older  readers  of  this  narra- 
tive will  recall  that  during  the  latter  part  of  the  fifties  the 
whole  country  was  in  the  grip  of  a  most  trying  panic,  which 
made  it  almost  impossible  to  procure  remunerative  labor  at 
any  price.  William  in  that  remote  section,  soon  made  this 
discovery;  and,  since  the  boat  had  gone  and  funds  were  ex- 
tremely low,  he  was  "open"  to  any  job  that  presented  itself. 
He  soon  found  it  in  the  shape  of  a  small  mountain  of  earth 
w-hich  had  been  formed  by  the  excavation  of  a  large  hole,  to 
be  used  as  a  cellar.  The  owner  of  this  mountain  offered  to 
pay  him  the  sum  of  thirty-five  dollars  and  furnish  him  with 
a  shovel  and  wheel-barrow  if  he  would  remove  it.  In  a  jiffy 
he  accepted  the  proposition,  and  without  delay,  having 
"peeled"  off  his  coat,  disregarding  his  flaccid  muscles  and 
tender  hands,  he  bent  to  his  task.  At  the  end  of  two  weeks 
he  had  finished  the  undertaking  and  received  his  compensa- 
tion which  he  had  in  his  pocket  when  the  boat  returned  to 
conve\   him  back  to  Cle\eland." 

Graduating  from  Gambier,  Mr.  Alston,  that  same  year, 
1859,  was  ordained  deacon  by  Bishop  Mcllvaine  of  Ohio.  In 
1860  he  was  advanced  to  the  priesthood  by  Bishop  Horatio 
Potter  of  New  "^'ork. 

16.  John  Peterson.  It  is  to  be  sincerely  regretted  that  defi- 
nite data  with  respect  to  such  an  exceedingly  interesting  and 
historical  character  as  the  late  Rev.  John  Peterson  has  not 
been  accessible  to  this  author.  Father  Peterson,  as  he  was 
affectionately  called,  was  an  old  New  Yorker,  and  his  early 
life  was  contemporaneous  with  the  rise  of  St.  Philips  Church, 
He  was  a  school  master.      But  along  with   his  educational 


200  The  Afro-American  Group 

work  he  took  the  most  active  interest  in  all  of  the  affairs  of 
St.  Philips  Church,  and  late  in  life  he  was  ordained  (June, 
1865)  to  the  perpetual  diaconate  by  Bishop  Horatio  Potter. 
The  late  Hon.  William  F.  Powell,  former  U.  S.  Minister 
in  the  republic  of  Haiti,  a  staunch  Churchman,  and  a  life- 
long warm  friend  of  the  author,  has  often  discoursed  with 
us  with  respect  to  the  period  when  he  was  a  pupil  of  "Father 
Peterson"  in  New  York,  and  of  the  various  boys,  pupils  of 
that  school,  who,  in  after  life  became  noted  and  distinguished 
for  the  service  they  rendered  both  public  and  private. 

NOTE:  Following  the  Consecration  of  Bishop  John 
Payne,  upon  his  return  to  Africa,  he  took  with  him  a 
colored  clergyman.  Rev.  Thomas  A.  Pinkney,  from  South 
Carolina.  The  record  of  Mr.  Pinkney's  ordination  to  the 
diaconate  we  have  been  unable  to  obtain.  Later  he  was 
advanced  to  the  priesthood  in  Africa  by  Bishop  Payne. 
About  the  same  period,  a  young  colored  man  of  Balti- 
more, G.  W.  Gibson,  who  had  studied  under  Rev.  Dr.  H. 
V.  D.  Johns,  rector  of  Emmanuel  Church,  Baltimore,  re- 
moved to  Africa  where  he  was  ordained  and  became  one 
of  the  most  influential  of  the  clergy  of  that  mission. 
Hezekiah  W.  Green,  from  St.  Philips  Church,  New  York, 
a  colonist,  was  also  ordained  in  Africa  by  Bishop  Payne. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

BISHOP   FERGUSOX 

The  Rt.  Rev.  Samuel  David  Ferguson,  D.  D.,  D.  C.  L., 
late  Bishop  of  Liberia,  was  born  in  Charleston,  S.  C,  in 
1842.  His  mother  was  a  Roman  Catholic  and  his  father  a 
deacon  in  a  Baptist  Church.  He  was  quite  sick  when  an 
infant,  and  his  mother  took  him  to  the  Episcopal  Bishop 
Gadsden,  who,  at  the  time,  was  in  Charleston,  and  had  the 
Bishop  baptize  him.  When  little  Samuel  was  about  six  years 
of  age  his  parents  removed  to  Liberia  taking  him  with  them. 
The  father  very  soon  departed  this  life  and  the  mother  plac« 
ed  her  little  boy  in  the  hands  of  Bishop  John  Payne.  He, 
therefore,  grew  up  in  the  mission  settlement,  became  a  work- 
er, a  teacher,  and,  finally  a  clerg\  man.  On  the  feast  of  St. 
John  the  Baptist,  in  the  city  of  New  York  in  1885,  in  Grace 
Church,  he  was  duly  consecrated  a  Bishop  in  the  Church  of 
God.  Among  the  very  first  persons  on  whom  he  laid  his 
hands  in  Holy  Confirmation  on  his  return  to  Africa  w^as  T. 
Momolu  Gardiner,  the  present  Bishop  Suffragan  of  that 
District.  But  his  first  Episcopal  act  following  his  consecra- 
tion was  in  the  birth  State  of  the  man  who  had  trained  him, 
and  whose  successor  he  was.  At  the  request  of  the  late 
Bishop  Whittle  of  Virginia,  he  administered  Confirmation 
for  the  first  time  to  a  class  of  colored  persons  in  the  city  of 
Norfolk,  Va.,  connected  with  what  was  known  at  the  time 
as  the  Church  of  the  Holy  Innocents,  now  Grace  Church. 
At  that  time,  the  late  Archdeacon  Pollard  was  in  charge  of 
this  congregation.     As  Bishop  Ferguson  was  the  very  first 


202  The  Afro-American  Group 

person  of  color  who  was  a  full  member  of  the  American 
House  of  Bishops,  it  is  not  altogether  unwise  to  dwell  some- 
what at  length  upon  the  record  which  he  made  for  the  race. 
For  the  race  was  ever  present  with  him  in  all  of  his  acts; 
this  he  has  repeatedly  said  to  the  author.  In  the  first  place, 
he  conscientiously  made  it  a  point  to  be  present  and  occupy 
his  seat  in  the  House  of  Bishops,  and  ever  alert  with  respect 
to  the  transactions  of  that  House. 

In  his  attire  and  person  he  was  immaculately  neat  and 
attractive.  When  he  had  anything  to  say  it  was  always  well 
done  from  every  point  of  view.  While  he  was  never  "ob- 
trusive," yet  he  invariably  claimed  and  exercised  all  his 
rights.  He  was  uniformly  treated  with  the  same  consider- 
ate courtesy  and  attention  bestowed  on  other  members  of 
his  order.  He  never  once  had  Mrs.  Ferguson  accompany 
him  to  this  country,  although  she  frequently  accompanied 
him  in  the  countries  of  Europe.  Bishop  Ferguson  was  wise 
and  sagacious,  he  was  not  willing  to  risk  the  possibility  of 
the  least  discourtesy  so  far  as  his  wife  was  concerned. 

At  the  Cincinnatti  General  Convention  he  not  only  as- 
sisted with  the  celebration  of  the  Holy  Communion  at  the 
opening  of  that  great  body,  but  he  w^as  chairman  of  one  of 
the  important  committees  of  the  House  of  Bishops..  One  of 
the  prominent  daily  newspapers  of  Cincinnatti  in  writing  up 
the  opening  session  of  the  General  Convention,  had  this  to 
say : 

"No  more  striking  contrast,  nothing  more 
highly  significant  of  the  absolute  democracy  of  the 
Episcopal  Church  could  be  conceived  than  that 
which  was  presented  in  the  old  cathedral.  That 
there  is  no  pride  of  race  nor  of  wealth  recognized 
by  the  Church   was   markedlv   demonstrated.      In 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  205 

the  congregation,  entering  alone  like  any  other 
worshipper  and  attracting  far  less  attention  than 
many  of  the  others  present,  sat  J.  Pierpont  Mor- 
gan, a  lay  delegate  to  the  Convention  and  of  no 
more  account  in  its  deliberations  than  the  lowliest 
layman  from  the  most  remote  missionary  district, 
the  altar  celebrating  the  Holy  Sacrament  and  pass- 
ing the  cup  to  the  kneeling  worshippers,  was  a  Ne- 
gro, the  white-bearded  Bishop  of  Cape  Palmas, 
Africa,  the  Rt.  Rev.  Samuel  David  Ferguson, 
whose  race  and  color  made  no  worse  and  no  better 
than  any  other  man  in  the  holy  place,  but  whose 
office  placed  him  far  above  the  ruler  of  Wall 
street." 

When  he  attended  the  General  Convention  of  1907,  held 
in  Richmond,  Va.,  one  of  the  noblest  and  most  generous- 
hearted  of  the  Virginia  laity,  the  late  Joseph  Bryan,  made 
every  provision  for  his  comfort  at  his  own  expense.  Mr. 
Bryan  secured  him  the  very  best  of  accommodations  at 
Miller's  Hotel,  a  first-class  establishment  among  colored 
people,  and  daily  placed  at  the  Bishop's  disposal  a  carriage 
and  a  footman.  Upon  the  part  of  "vulgar"  white  people 
some  attempt  was  made  to  create  a  sensation  because  Bishop 
Ferguson  accepted  the  invitation  to  Governor  Swanson's  re- 
ception. But  the  sensibilities  of  this  particular  element  ex- 
perienced an  even  greater  shock  when  in  the  magnificent  car 
of  the  late  J.  Pierpont  Morgan,  together  with  Bishop  and 
Mrs.  Potter  and  a  number  of  other  equally  distinguished 
Churchmen  and  Churchwomen,  the  Bishop  of  Liberia  was 
observed  as  the  machine  speeded  its  way  up  Grace  street  from 
the  Capitol,  conveying  the  party  to  a  special  dinner.  Bishop 
Ferguson    was    a   cultivated    Christian    gentleman,    and    he 


206  The  Afro-American  Group 

nobly  demeaned  himself  as  though  there  was  no  such  thing 
as  color  where  people  of  such  a  type  were  assembled. 

\Vhen  he  met  with  his  brethren  in  1907  at  Asbury  Park, 
he  gave  forth  somewhat  of  a  general  summary  of  his  work 
during  his  Episcopate  up  to  that  time,  and,  as  a  matter  of  per- 
manent record  we  insert  it  here.     He  said  in  part : 

"Now  brethren,  over  in  Africa  we  are  laboring  and  when 
I  was  called  to  this  responsible  office,  do  you  know  the  thing 
which  troubled  me  most  and  is  troubling  me  now?  It  is  this: 
that  I  might  make  a  failure  of  this  great  calling.  I  knew 
thati  stood  as  a  representative  man  and  I  prayed  to  Almighty 
God  to  enable  me  to  succeed.  I  can  not  say  that  there  has 
been  any  great  success;  but  I  can  tell  you,  my  friends,  com- 
paring the  work  with  what  it  was  when  it  pleased  the 
Church  to  give  a  Negro  Bishop  to  Africa,  we  have  nothing 
to  be  ashamed  of." 

The  Bishop  then  stated  that  since  the  last  General  Con- 
vention 1,217  persons  have  been  baptized  of  whom  1,158 
were  from  heathenism;  637  have  been  confirmed.  The  re- 
cord during  twenty-two  years  of  the  Bishop's  episcopate, 
compared  with  the  fifty  years  preceeding,  is  as  follows: 

1835-85  1885-1907 
Baptized                              1,869  7,688 

Confirmed  1,035  3,949 

Communicants  419  2,372 

Of  the  communicants  over  65  per  cent,  are  native  Afri- 
cans. There  are  now  in  the  field  twenty-seven  clergymen, 
eleven  of  whom  are  natives;  fifty-nine  catechists  and  lay 
readers,  thirty  of  whom  are  from  heathenism.  There  are 
2,246  Sunday  School  pupils,  1,943  day  pupils  and  577  board- 
ing pupils. 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  207 

The  Bishop  continued:  "Since  the  last  General  Conven- 
tion the  contributions  have  been  $20,338.93.  The  people 
are  trying  to  help  themselves  more  than  ever ;  formerly  when 
they  wanted  to  build  a  church  they  wrote  over  here  and 
begged  money ;  now  they  are  trying  to  do  it  themselves.  May 
God  Almighty  bless  you  and  bless  this  Conference;  bless 
every  effort  you  art  putting  forth  and  crown  them  with 
abundant  success." 

Looking  back  to  the  days  when  an  heroic  effort  was 
made  for  Missionary  Districts  and  Negro  Bishops  in  this 
country,  it  will  be  heartening  to  all  intelligent  Negro 
Churchmen  to  know  that  none  more  thoroughly  beleved  in 
the  righteousness  of  that  effort  than  the  Bishop  of  Liberia, 
and  the  Bishop  of  Haiti. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

BISHOP  JOHN  PAYNE  AND  OTHERS. 

John  Payne  was  born  in  Westmoreland  county,  Virginia, 
in  my  African  Cavalla  home.  Nay,  brethren,  there  is  now 
23,  1874.  On  the  11th  of  July,  1851  in  St.  Paul's  Church, 
Alexandria,  Va.,  he  was  consecrated  the  first  Bishop  of  our 
African  Mission.  The  "Bishop  Payne  Divinity  School,"  Pe- 
tersburg, Va.,  is  named  in  his  honor. 

Some  little  time  before  his  consecration,  speaking  at  his 
Alma  Mater,  the  Theological  Seminary  of  Virginia,  among 
other  things  Dr.  Payne  said: 

"I  shall  be  excused,  I  am  sure,  for  making  some  reference 
to  my  own,  endeared  as  it  is  by  the  hallowed  associations  of 
some  ten  years  of  missionary  toil  and  enjoyment.  A-nd, 
brethren,  of  it  I  can  not  say  less  than  this:  Much  as  I  love 
this,  our  Antioch,  I  have  found  more  than  another  Antioch 
in  my  African  Cavalla  home.  Nay,  brethren,  there  is  now 
in  this  wide  world,  no  place  to  me  like  that — my  home." 
(Day  Dawn  in  Africa,  1858). 

It  was  this  godly  man  who  gave  to  the  Church  Bishop 
Ferguson,  who  at  the  time  of  the  above  utterance  was  a  boy 
of  about  eight  or  nine  years  of  age.  Worn  out,  and  having 
come  to  the  land  of  his  birth  to  die,  in  his  last  report  to  the 
Missionary  Society,  he  said:  "Thirty-three  years'  connection 
with  one  of  the  most  unhealthy  portions  of  the  globe  has  left 
me  the  wreck  of  a  man.  But  I  claim  that  in  devoting  my- 
self to  preaching  among  the  Gentiles  the  unsearchable  riches 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  209 

of  Christ,  I  was  no  fool.  On  the  contrary,  I  did  obey  lit- 
erally the  command  of  my  Lord.  I  did  follow  in  the  very 
footsteps  of  Apostles,  Martyrs  and  Prophets." 

When  the  author  was  a  boy,  the  widow  of  Bishop  T'ayne^ 
longing  for  her  "Cavalla  home,"  brought  comfort  and  peace 
to  her  weary  soul,  by  voluntarily  taking  up  missionary  work 
in  connection  with  St.  Stephens,  Petersburg.  In  the  homes 
of  the  colored  people  of  Petersburg  she  was  ever  a  familiar 
and  dear  friend.  She  and  the  author's  own  grandmother 
were  the  dearest  of  friends.  Upon  the  passing  of  the  one 
who  taught  the  author  his  letters,  and  at  whose  knees  he 
learnt  his  Catechism,  Mrs.  Martha  Payne,  widow  of  Bishop 
Payne,  communicated  to  The  Spirit  of  Missions  the  follow- 
ing beautiful  tribute.     It  was  in  the  year  1891  : 

''Dear  old  Mrs.  Caroline  W.  Bragg  passed  away  on  the 
9th,  and  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-five.  When  asked  by 
someone  how  she  felt  when  so  near  death,  she  answered 
firml\-  and  sweetly:  'God's  promises  have  been  my  support 
all  my  life,  and  now  I  can  rest  my  heart  entirely  upon  them 
and  have  peace,'  and  calmly  she  breathed  her  life  out  on  her 
Saviour's  breast.  St.  Stephens  Church  was  crowded  at  her 
funeral  with  white  and  colored  persons,  many  of  our  best 
ladies  and  gentlemen  delighting  to  show  their  appreciation 
of  a  singularly  holy  life.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Gibson  preached 
her  funeral  sermon,  a  most  beautiful  tribute  to  departed 
worth.  All  who  heard  it  wished  that  they  could  deserve 
such  a  tribute  from  such  a  man,  and  all  felt  that  every  word 
was  true.  We  owe  to  her  the  colored  Episcopal  Church 
here ;  but  what  do  we  not  owe  her  ?  Truly,  a  holy  servant  of 
God  has  passed  away  and  may  we  be  the  better  for  such  an 
illustration  of  God's  grace  among  us." 

Mrs.  Martha  Payne  in  Petersburg,  spent  her  life  among- 
the  colored  group.    That  is  to  say,  she  worshipped  and  made 


210  The  Afro-Americax  Group 

her  communions  in  a  colored  church  and  gave  all  her  time 
in  visiting,  helping  and  consoling  the  poor  and  needy  among 
the  colored  group. 

When  the  author,  a  mere  boy,  so  to  speak,  removed  to 
Norfolk,  Va.,  to  begin  his  work  in  the  ministry,  of  all  the 
white  friends  he  made  in  that  community,  none  was  more 
persistent  in  motherly  contact  and  helpfulness  than  Mrs. 
Johns,  the  widow  of  the  late  Bishop  Johns,  of  Virginia. 
These  facts  mentioned  by  us  are  of  fundamental  importance. 
The  rising  generation,  colored  and  white,  hardly  realize  the 
actual  and  true  relations  between  the  races,  of  people  of 
quality,  of  that  period.  Our  histories,  like  many  newspapers, 
dwell  only  on  the  sensational.  They  omit  the  good  while 
they  publish  that  which  irritates.  Our  testimony  is  first- 
hand. We  record  the  things  we  know.  From  six  years  of 
age  we  have  lived  in  and  reflected  the  life  we  record.  What 
we  have  given  are  but  samples.  The  author,  if  the  scope  of 
the  present  work  permitted,  might  go  into  details  w^ith 
respect  to  such  an  eminent  character  as  Gen.  R.  L.  Page,  a 
commodore  in  the  Confederate  Navy. 

No  man  took  a  profounder  interest  in  the  education  and 
improvement  of  the  colored  race  than  did  General  Page.  He 
was  an  elderly  man  while  we  were  but  a  boy.  Yet,  both  of 
us,  by  the  Governor  of  the  State  of  Virginia,  had  been  ap- 
pointed to  represent  the  Commonwealth  as  trustees  on  the 
board  of  control  of  Hampton  School.  Often  we  would 
leave  Norfolk  for  Hampton  together  and  in  the  meetings,  as 
elsewhere,  there  was  nothing  evident  but  the  gentleness  and 
kindliness  obtaining  between  father  and  son.  And  such  was 
true  of  Col.  Walter  H.  Taylor,  adjutant  of  the  late  Gen. 
Robert  E.  Lee. 

The  images  of  too  many  of  these  grand  characters  crowd 
in  our  memory.     We  can  not  mention  them  all,  and  thus, 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  211 

we  shall  borrow  language  from  our  own  learned  Dr.  Crum- 
mell,  to  express  the  tribute  of  our  heart  for  them  all. 

In  1846,  in  the  city  of  New  York,  Rev.  Dr.  Crummell 
delivered  a  magnificent  eulogium  on  the  life  and  character  of 
Thomas  Clarkson,  of  England.  In  noting,  with  Clarkson, 
some  of  the  eminent  co-workers  in  the  same  cause,  Dr.  Crum- 
mell said: 

"A  more  ardent,  devoted,  unselfish  set  of  men  the  world 
hath  never  seen.  Such  manifestations  of  philanthropy,  such 
tokens  of  love,  such  displays  of  kindness  to  the  lowly  and 
the  abject;  have  rarely  been  equalled  amid  all  the  histories  of 
goodness  which  time  hath  ever  recorded  on  her  ample  page. 
Their  disinterestedness  is  equal  to  their  other  virtues.  It  is 
almost  in  vain  we  look  among  them  for  the  intrusions  of  sel- 
fish purpose  or  vaunting  ambition.  Their  exhibitons  of 
self-sacrifice  and  of  fearless  hearty  zeal,  their  demonstrations 
of  brotherhood  and  equality,  are  really  touching  and  subdue- 
ing.  Honored  and  revered  be  these  glorious  men.  They 
shed  light  upon  our  pathway  in  our  day  of  darkness,  and 
now  as  we  are  emergng  from  the  gloom  let  us  not  forget 
their  goodness." 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

BISHOP   DEMBY. 

The  Right  Reverend  Edward  Thomas  Demby,  D.  D., 
Bishop  Suffragan  of  Arkansas,  with  special  episcopal  over- 
sight in  the  Province  of  the  Southwest,  was  born  in  the  State 
of  Delaware,  and  raised  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia.  His 
literary  training  was  received  at  Howard  University,  Wash- 
ington, and  Wilberforce  University  in  Ohio.  In  1894-96 
he  was  Dean  of  Paul  Quinn  College,  Texas.  He  was  con- 
firmed by  Bishop  Spaulding  of  Colorado,  who  transferred 
him  to  the  diocese  of  Tennessee  where  he  engaged  in  work, 
and  where  he  was  ordained  both  deacon  and  priest  by  Bishop 
Gailor.  After  working  in  Illinois,  Missouri  and  Florida, 
he  returned  to  Tennessee  and  was  made  Archdeacon  of  the 
colored  work  of  that  diocese.  Dr.  Demby  is  the  author  of 
several  works  among  which  are  the  following:  "The  Devo- 
tions of  the  Cross,  and  at  the  Holy  Mass;"  ''A  Bird's-Eye 
View  of  Exegetical  Studies;"  "The  Writings  of  SS.  Paul  and 
James;"  "The  Holy  Sacrament  of  the  Altar  and  Penace;" 
"The  Manual  of  the  Guild  of  One  More  Soul."  Elected 
Bishop  Suffragan  of  Arkansas  by  the  Council  of  that  diocese, 
on  the  Feast  of  St.  Michael  and  All  Angels,  1918,  he  was 
duly  consecrated  a  Bishop  in  the  Church  of  God,  in  All 
Saints  Church,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

BISHOP  DELANY 

The  Rt.  Rev.  Henry  B.  Delany,  D.  D.,  Bishop  Suffragan 
of  North  Carolina,  many  years  ago,  a  young  man,  a  Metho- 
dist of  Churchly  persuasion,  came  to  St.  Augustines  School, 
Raleigh,  from  Florida  to  receive  an  education.  So  deficient 
was  he  that  he  could  fit  into  none  of  the  existing  grades,  and 
a  grade  had  to  be  made  for  him.  The  atmosphere  soon  be- 
came very  congenial  to  him  and  he  was  converted  to  the 
Church.  While  there  in  his  early  years  he  fell  in  love  with 
one  of  the  school  girls;  and  eventually  the  couple  were 
united  in  the  bonds  of  Holy  Matrimony.  These  two  "chil- 
dren of  St.  Augustine"  have  practically  spent  their  lives  on 
the  school  grounds. 

Mrs.  Delany  rapidly  rose  to  important  positions  as  teach- 
er in  the  school  and  matron,  which  position  she  still  holds, 
while  Dr.  Delany  rapidly  rose  to  important  positions  until 
he  became  its  vice-principal.  It  was  while  ni  such  capacity 
that  the  Bishop  of  North  Carolina,  Rt.  Rev.  Dr.  Cheshire, 
elevated  him  to  the  position  of  Archdeacon  for  the  colored 
work  in  the  diocese.  November  21,  1918,  he  was  duly  con- 
secrated Bishop  Suffragan  of  North  Carolina  in  the  chapel 
of  the  institution  where  he  had  spent  his  life  sine  early  man- 
hood. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

BISHOP  GARDINER. 

The  Rt.  Rev.  T.  Momolu  Gardiner,  D.  D.,  Bishop  Suff- 
ragan of  Liberia,  was  born  in  heathendom  near  Cape  Mount, 
Liberia,  West  Africa,  January  30,  1870.  He  passed  through 
the  mission  schools  of  that  missionary  district.  He  was 
ordained  deacon  by  the  late  Bishop  Ferguson  on  the  30th  of 
August,  1896  and  priest  by  the  same  Bishop,  April  22,  1906. 
Elected  as  Suffragan  Missionary  Bishop  by  the  House  of 
Bishops  in  St.  Louis,  in  October,  1920,  he  was  consecrated 
in  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation,  New  York  City,  on 
Thursday,  June  23,  1921,  the  occasion  being  the  first  visit 
that  he  had  made  to  America. 

Six  Bishops,  about  fifty  clergymen  and  a  large  congre- 
gation were  present.  His  Excellency  Charles  Dunbar  Bur- 
gess King,  president  of  the  Republic  of  Liberia,  a  Church- 
man, and  his  staff,  came  from  Washington  expressly  to  at- 
tend this  service.  The  Presiding  Bishop  of  the  American 
Church  officiated.  The  Bishop  of  Liberia  preached  the 
sermon.  The  attending  presbyters  were  the  Rev.  Dr.  Hut- 
chens  C.  Bishop  and  the  Rev.  F.  Wilcom  EUigor.  The 
Bishop  of  New  York  and  the  Bishop  of  New  Jersey  present- 
ed the  Bishop-elect.  Besides  the  Presiding  Bishop  the  fol- 
lowing named  Bishops  laid  their  hands  upon  the  head  of  the 
elected  Bishop:  Gailor,  Lloyd,  Matthews,  Overs  and  Man- 
ning. 


CHAPTER  XXVIX. 

OUR  NUMERICAL  STRENGTH. 

In  all  parts  of  the  country,  especially  in  the  North  and 
West  there  are  numbers  of  colored  people  communicants  of 
white  parishes,  and  there  is  no  posible  way  to  estimate  the 
number  of  the  same.  Thus,  the  statistics  here  given  pertain 
only  to  congregations  composed  exclusively  of  colored  per- 
sons. By  dioceses,  the  number  of  seperate  colored  congrega- 
tions are  given,  and  the  total  number  of  communicants  re- 
ported from  such  congregations. 

PROVINCE  OF  NEW  ENGLAND. 


Diocese            No. 

of  Co?ig, 

No.  of  Com. 

JVIassachusetts 

3 

1,376 

Rhode  Island 

1 

200 

Connecticut 

2 

392 

Total   number  of   congregations — 

■6. 

Total   number 

communicants — 1 968. 

PROVINCE  OF  NEW  YORK  AND 

NEW  JERSEY 

New  York 

9 

4,893 

Long  Island 

5 

1,099 

Central  New  York 

1 

137 

Western  New  York 

1 

245 

Newark 

5 

983 

New  Jersey 

7 

768 

Total  number  of  congreg 

ations  in 

Pi 

"ovince — 28,     Cc 

municants — 8,125. 

of 


216 


The  Afro-American  Group 


PROVINCE  OF  WASHINGTON 


Pennsylvania 

13 

3,138 

Harrisburg 

2 

87 

Erie 

1 

50 

Pittsburgh 

1 

510 

Delaware 

1 

54 

Maryland 

5 

1,376 

Washington 

12 

1,834 

West   Virginia 

3 

100 

Virginia 

9 

241 

Virginia 

9 

141 

So.  Virginia 

32 

2,083 

So.  Western  Va. 

3 

71 

Number     of     congregations     within    the 

Province — 82, 

Number  of  communicants — 

-9,544. 

province 

:    OF    SEWANEE 

North  Carolina 

20 

881 

East  Carolina 

13 

740 

AshviUe 

5 

200 

So.  Carolina 

28 

1302 

Georgia 

10 

766 

Atlanta 

7 

148 

Florida 

8 

457 

So.   Florida 

9 

917 

Alabama 

3 

256 

Mississippi 

6 

178 

Louisianna 

1 

106 

Tennessee 

10 

321 

Kentucky 

4 

266 

Lexington 

1 

44 

Number    of    congregations    within    the    Province- 
Number  of  Communicants — 6,582. 


•125. 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  217 

PROVINCE   OF   THE    MID-WEST 

Ohio                                 3  700 

Southern  Ohio                   4  719 

Indianapolis                        1  68 

Chicago                             2  1,218 

Springfield                          2  69 

Quincy                                2  7 

Michigan                            3  631 

Western    Michigan          1  72 

Number    of    congregations    within    the  Province — 18. 
Number  of  Communicants — 3,484. 

PROVINCE  OF  THE   NORTHWEST 

Minnesota                          2  179 

Nebraska                              1  115 

Colorado                              2  195 

Towa                                    1  41 

Number  of  congregations  within  the  Province — 6.  Num- 
ber of  Communicants — 530. 

PROVINCE   OF  THE   SOUTHWEST 

Kansas                                4  155 

Missouri                            1                   •  412 

W.  Missouri                     2  150 

Oklahoma                          2  82 

Arkansas                             5  158 

Texas                                 4  99 

W.  Texas                         1  22 

Dallas                                 1  8 

Number     of     congregations    within     the  Province — 20. 
Number  of  communicants — 1,186. 


218  The  Afro-American  Group 

province  of  the  pacific 
California  1  186 

Los  Angeles  1  211 

Oregon  1  35 

Number  of  congregations  within  the  Province — 3.  Num- 
ber of  communicants — 432. 

RECAPITULATION 

Province  1,  New  England  States:  6  congregations,  1,968 
communicants. 

Province  2,  New  York  and  New  Jersey:  28  congrega- 
tions; 8,125  communicants. 

Province  3,  Washington:  82  congregations;  9,544  com- 
municants. 

Province  4,  Sewanee:  125  congregations;  6,582  commu- 
nicants. 

Province  5,  the  Mid-West:  18  congregations;  3,484  com- 
municants. 

Province  6,  the  Northwest:  6  congregations;  530  com- 
municants. 

Province  7,  the  Southwest:  20  congregations;  1,186  com- 
municants. 

Province  8,  the  Pacific:  3  congregations;  432  communi- 
cants. 

Total  congregations — 288.  Total  communicants — 31,- 
851. 

The  number  of  colored  clerg\-  at  work — Bishops  2; 
deacons  and  priests,  see  directory. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

OUR  CHURCH   SCHOOLS 
THE  BISHOP  PAYNE  DIVINITY  SCHOOL,  PETERSBURG,  VA. 

Thomas  W.  Cain  was  the  first  colored  person  to  become 
a  candidate  for  Holy  Orders  in  the  diocese  of  Virginia.  He 
attended  Lincoln  University,  from  which  he  graduated. 
Peter  A.  Morgan,  also  from  Virginia,  after  leaving  Lincoln 
University,  became  a  candidate  for  Holy  Orders  in  the 
diocese  of  Pennsylvania.  Air.  Cain  taught  for  sometime 
before  finally  entering  the  ministry.  In  the  meantime,  John 
H.  M.  Pollard,  who  has  gone  to  northern  Virginia  as  a 
teacher,  was  privately  prepared  for  deacon's  orders  and 
ordained  with  the  class  at  the  Virginia  Seminary  in  1878. 

That  same  year  in  the  county  of  Brunswick  through  the 
influence  of  Mrs.  Pattie  Buford,  it  appeared  as  if  an  entire 
organized  body  of  colored  people  were  about  to  enter  the 
Church.  It  was  absolutely  certain  that  one  young  man, 
James  S.  Russell,  an  undergraduate  of  Hampton,  was  ready 
to  enter  upon  a  course  of  preparation  for  the  holy  ministry. 
To  care  for  his  training  and  any  others  which  might  be  at- 
tracted, the  trustees  of  the  Virginia  Theological  School,  upon 
the  premises  of  the  property  of  St.  Stephens  Church,  Peters- 
burg, the  Rev.  Giles  B.  Cooke  being  rector,  in  the  fall  of 
the  year"  1878  opened  a  branch  school  of  the  Virginia  Theo- 
logical Seminary,  with  the  Rev.  Thomas  Spencer  rector  of 
St.  Johns  Church  in  charge.  During  the  first  year  of  the 
life  of  this  institution  there  were  six  students.     The  Rev. 


220  The  Afro-American  Group 

Mr.  Pollard,  deacon,  who  had  become  the  assistant  of  the 
Rev.  Giles  B.  Cooke,  attended  in  preparation  for  his  ex- 
amination for  the  priesthood;  Mr.  T.  W.  Cain,  then  teach- 
ing in  one  of  the  departments  of  St.  Stephens  Normal  School ; 
Mr.  James  S.  Russell  and  the  present  author,  a  boy  of  fif- 
teen years  of  age.  In  addition  to  these  Church  people  there 
were  two  other  students:  a  Mr.  Stinson,  pastor  of  the  C.  M. 
E.  Church  and  a  Mr.  C.  D.  Cooley,  pastor  of  a  Baptist  con- 
gregation. During  the  years  following  many  other  students 
entered,  a  number  of  whom  were  former  Zion  Union  preach- 
ers. The  institution  ceased  as  a  branch  school  and  became 
aseparate  and  distinct  corporation.  About  the  year  1890 
the  institution  was  almost  at  the'  point  of  death  because  of 
the  effect  of  counciliar  action  in  restricting  the  colored  mem- 
bership of  that  body.  The  Rev.  John  Wesley  Johnson,  now 
of  New  York,  but  then  the  first  graduate  of  that  institu- 
tion and  the  pastor  of  St.  Philips  Church,  Richmond,  Va., 
in  addition  to  his  pastoral  work,  was  appointed  a  professor 
in  the  institution.  By  his  good  and  faithful  work  new  stu- 
dents were  brought  in  and  a  new  chapter  in  the  life  of  the 
seminary  begun.  The  institution  has  sent  forth  many  able 
men  to  fill  the  ranks  of  the  ministry. 

THE  ST.  PAUL  NORMAL  AND  INDUSTRIAL  SCHOOL, 
LAWRENCEVILLE 

In  the  spring  of  1882,  just  ordained  as  a  deacon,  Rev. 
James  S.  Russell,  took  up  his  residence  in  Lawrenceville,  Va., 
as  missionary  to  the  colored  people  of  that  section.  From 
the  start  both  the  church  and  school  work  sustained  a  most 
encouraging  growth.  It  was  at  a  time  when  financial  help 
and  sustenance  depended  wholly  upon  the  personality  of  the 
worker  to  successfully  present  his  mission  before  the  chari- 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  221 

tably  inclined  in  the  North.  Dr.  Russell  met  with  amazing 
success  in  making  friends  for  his  work  increasingly,  as  it  ex- 
panded in  many  directions.  Thus,  about  thirty-three  years 
ago,  w^ith  faith  and  hope  the  St.  Paul  Normal  School  began 
its  existence  under  the  wise  guiding  hand  of  the  man  who 
had  created  the  conditions  for  its  timely  birth.  In  1921 
five  hundred  and  seventy-seven  students  attended  the  in- 
stitution. The  school  owns  1,596  acres  of  land  and  the 
entire  plant  is  valued  at  $220,000. 

ST.   AUGUSTINES    NORMAL   AND  COLLEGIATE   INSTITUTE, 
RALEIGH,   N.   C. 

St.  Augustines  is  a  continuing  monument  to  that  distin- 
guished Virginia  lawyer,  Thomas  Atkinson,  who  entered  the 
ministry  of  the  Church  and  became  one  of  its  most  useful 
Bishops.  Bishop  Atkinson  of  North  Carolina  in  1865  in 
the  presence  of  the  devastation  of  the  Civil  War,  was  the 
first  one  in  all  the  Southern  country  to  come  out  bravely  and 
persistently  for  the  Christian  education  of  the  Negro,  and 
to  declare  his  purpose  of  founding  an  institution  of  learning 
for  the  consummation  of  that  purpose.  He  reiterated  the 
declaration  that  it  was  colored  teachers  and  colored  ministers 
for  the  colored  race,  or  the  colored  race  without  teachers 
and  ministers.  He  invited  black  and  white  men  in  orders  in 
other  parts  of  the  country  to  come  to  his  diocese  and  work 
among  the  colored  people.  In  1867  he  founded  St.  Augus- 
tines School  and  the  Rev.  J.  Brinton  Smith  of  New  Jersey 
became  its  first  principal.  He  was  succeeded  by  Dr.  Smedes, 
Dr.  Sutton  and  Dr.  A.  B.  Hunter,  the  later  retiring  but  a 
short  while  ago  after  twenty-five  years  of  most  successful 
and  faithful  labors.  His  successor  is  the  present  principal, 
the  Rev.  Edgar  H.  Goold. 


222  The  Afro-Am ericax  Group 

the  fort  valley  high  axd  ixdustrla.l  school, 

fort  valley,  ga. 

The  Fort  Valley  School  was  formally  taken  over  as  a 
Church  school  by  the  diocese  of  Atlanta  in  the  year  1918. 
Since  then  the  diocese  has  given  liberally  to  its  support.  Six 
hundred  and  sixty-two  students  were  enrolled  in  1921.  It  is 
considered  one  of  the  very  best  industrial  high  schools  for 
Negroes  in  the  South.     Air.  Henry  A.  Hunt  is  principal. 

SAIXT  ATHAXASIUS   SCHOOL,    BRUXSWICK,   GA. 

St.  Athanasious,  started  as  a  mision  school  in  1884,  de- 
veloped into  a  high  and  training  school,  and  in  1910  it  was 
incorporated  and  has  since  grown  steadily  in  size  and  effi- 
ciency until  now  it  is  a  good  secondary  school,  with  domes- 
tic science,  manual  trainng  and  music  departments.  The 
principal  is  Mr.  W.  Augustine  Perry,  graduate  of  St.  Au- 
gustine and  of  Yale  University,  also  the  son  of  the  late  Rev. 
John  W.  Perry  of  Tarborro,  N.  C.  It  had  three  hundred 
students  in  1921. 

St.  Marks  School  for  Girls,  Birmixgham,  Ala. 

This  school  was  organized  thirty  years  ago  in  a  rented 
room  with  eight  pupils.  The  pioneer  work  and  foundation, 
largely  due  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Van  Hoose,  white,  a  devoted 
deacon  of  the  Church,  and  if  we  mistake  not,  at  one  time 
the  mayor  of  the  city.  The  active  work  was  carried  on  for 
a  long  while  by  Mr.  Auguste,  a  talented  colored  man  from 
Jamaica,  until  the  present  principal.  Rev.  Charles  Wesley 
Brooks  of  Maryland,  w^as  secured  for  the  work.  It  had  253 
students  in  1921.     Its  property  is  valued  at  more  than  fifty 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  223 

thousand   dollars   and   the   race   has   contributed   more   than 
twenty-five  thousand  dollars  towards  its  support. 

The  Vicksburg  Industrial  School,  Vicksburg,  Miss. 

This  institution  which  now  in  a  sense  gives  way  to  the 
Okolona  School,  has  an  enrollment  of  250  students  and  has 
done  good  work. 

Okolona  Normal  and  Industrial  School 

The  380  acres  of  land  and  buildings  of  the  Okolona 
School  are  conservatively  valued  at  $150,000.  This  school 
became  a  Church  institution  only  during  the  past  two  years. 
Mr.  Wallace  A.  Battle  is  the  founder  and  president  and 
Bishop  Bratton  is  the  honorary  president. 

Hoffman — St.  Marys  School,  Keeling,  Tenn. 

Mrs.  Laura  Smith,  a  graduate  of  Fiske  University,  is 
the  principal  of  this  school,  where  there  are  about  fifty  girls. 
The  property  is  valued  at  $20,000. 

The  Gaudet  Normal  and  Industrial  School, 
New  Orleans,  La. 

Within  the  past  year  this  school  was  formally  taken  over 
by  the  diocese  of  Louisiana.  It  is  admirably  situated  about 
a  mile  and  a  half  from  New  Orleans.  The  founder  and 
principal,  Mrs.  Frances  Joseph  Gaudet,  in  asking  the  Epis- 
copal Church  to  take  over  her  school  in  which  she  and  her 
husband  have  labored  for  many  years  for  the  benefit  of  her 
race,  did  so  with  the  conviction  that  only  in  this  way  could 
the  school  gain  the  highest  measure  of  success. 

.  .The  American  Church  Institute  For  Negroes 

This  incorporation  is  composed  exclusively  of  persons  of 
the  white  race,  and  was  organized  in   1906,  with  a  view  of 


224  The  Afro-American  Group 

directing  and  financially  assisting  the  educational  institutions 
of  the  Church  for  the  colored  race.  All  of  the  forementioned 
institutions  are  connected  therewith ;  and  the  money  officially 
given  by  the  general  Church  is  disbursed  through  the  agency 
of  the  institute.  At  the  present  time  an  annual  appropria- 
tion of  $120,000  is  made  to  the  institute  by  the  Presiding 
Bishop  and  Council.  This  appropriation  covers  nearly  half 
of  the  present  budgets  of  the  schools.  The  remainder  must 
be  raised  by  special  gifts  and  tuition  fees. 

St.  Marys  School  for  Girls,  Germantown,  Pa. 

This  is  a  most  admirable  boarding  school  for  girls,  with  a 
beautiful  and  attractive  property  in  Germantown,  Pa.,  and 
it  is  all  the  work  of. one  Negro  woman,  Sister  Lela  Mary, 
trained  by  the  All  Saints  Sisters,  Baltimore.  Its  entire  sup- 
port is  derived  from  fees  and  solicitations  of  Sister  Lela,  w^ho 
is  an  energetic  woman,  and  who  is  doing  well  a  noble  and 
self-sacrificing  w^ork. 

church  institutions  for  the  benefit  of  the  group 

S.  Monicas  Home  for  Sick  Colored  People,  Boston,  Mass. 
This  institution  is  delightfully  situated  on  the  large  area 
once  occupied  as  the  home  of  William  Lloyd  Garrison. 
The  Sisters  of  St.  Margaret  are  in  charge. 

The  Home  of  the  Homeless,  1327  Fitzwater  street,  Phila- 
delphia, Pa.     This  is  a  temporary  home  for  women  and 
children   where   they   receive   Church   teaching   and    are 
trained  in  household  work. 

The  House  of  the  Holy  Child,  625  N.  43rd  street,  Philadel- 
phia, Pa.    This  is  an  institution  for  children. 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  225 

The  House  of  St.  Michael  and  All  Angels,  611  N.  43rd 
street,  Philadelphia,  Pa.  For  the  surgical  treatment  and 
the  mental  and  religious  instruction  of  crippled  chidlren 
of  our  group. 

St.  Marys  Home  for  Boys,  Baltimore,  Maryland.  This 
orphanage  is  under  the  auspices  of  the  Sisters  of  All 
Saints. 

S.  Katharines  Hojne  for  Little  Girls,  Baltimore,  Md.  This 
institution  is  under  the  care  of  All  Saints  Sisters. 

The  Maryland  Home  for  Friendless  Colored  Children,  61 -A 
Ellicott  City,  Md.  A  diocesan  institution  for  the  train- 
ing of  neglected  boys.  The  Bishop  of  Maryland,  presi- 
dent. 

The   Crummell   Home  for   the   Aged,   Washington,    D.   C. 
Not  yet  in  operation. 

S.  Agnes  Hospital,  Raleigh,  N.  C. 

Qood  Samaritan  Hospital,  Charlotte,  N.  C. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

■  THE   WORK   IN  THE   PROVINCES 

IN  THE  PROVINCE  OF  NEW  ENGLAND 

St.  Augustine  and  St.  Martins,  a  congregation  of  more 
than  four  hundred  communicants,  located  at  21  Lennox 
street,  Boston,  Mass.,  had  its  birth  about  the  year  1885,  on 
Anderson  street,  further  down  town.  It  was  projected  under 
the  auspices  of  the  Society  of  St.  John  the  Evangelist,  Bishop 
Hall,  of  Vermont,  at  that  time  being  the  Provincial  of  the 
order,  manifesting  a  special  interest  in  the  work.  It  was 
here  in  connection  with  the  work  of  this  congregation  that 
Bishop  Charles  H.  Brent  of  Western  New  York  began  his 
early  ministry. 

One  o  fthe  largest  and  most  influential  of  all  our  con- 
gregation, St.  Bartholomews,  Cambridge,  Mass.,  came  into 
being,  as  a  part  of  our  group  in  the  year  1908,  in  a  very  pe- 
culiar and  interesting  manner.  St.  Peters  Church  contained 
a  very  large  number  of  colored  communicants.  Possibly  a 
third  of  the  entire  communicant  list  w^ere  members  of  the 
colored  group.  In  another  section  of  the  city  there  was  a  de- 
clining white  congregation  know^n  as  St.  Bartholomews 
Chapel.  In  connection  with  St.  Peters,  under  the  leadership 
of  a  venerable  colored  communicant,  John  H.  Brown,  in  da^^s 
by  gone,  reared  in  St.  James  First  African  Church,  Balti- 
more, there  was  a  guild  known  as  St.  Andrews  Society.  The 
members  of  this  guild  concluded  to  withdraw  their  atten- 
dance from  St.  Peters  and  attend  in  a  body  the  chapel  of  St. 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  227 

Bartholome^v.  This  they  did,  and  very  soon  they  came  in 
such  strong  numbers  that  they  actually  took  charge,  the 
whites  scattering  to  other  congregations.  Soon  thereafter, 
the  eloquent  Rev.  Dr.  McGuire  made  his  appearance  in  that 
vicinity  and  was  put  in  charge  of  the  work.  Following  Dr. 
McGuire  came  the  present  rector,  Rev.  Walter  D.  Mc- 
Clane,  and  the  congregation  now  numbers  796  communicants. 

Since  that  time  St.  Cyprians  Mission,  Berkley  street, 
Boston,  has  come  into  existence.     It  has  170  communicants. 

St.  Monicas  Mission,  Hartford,  Conn.,  was  inaugurated 
some  years  ago  by  St.  Lukes  Church,  New  Haven,  during 
the  rectorship  of  the  Rev.  Eugene  L.  Henderson,  and  a 
former  vestryman  of  that  parish,  Alonzo  Johnson,  taking 
Holy  Orders,  became  the  first  pastor  of  the  mission. 

About  a  decade  in  the  past  a  very  talented  Methodist 
clergyman,  P.  G.  Moore-Brown,  born  in  the  West  Indies, 
came  into  the  Church  through  Bishop  Perry,  and,  as  a  result, 
with  the  assistance  of  a  number  of  colored  communicants 
who  preferred  the  ministrations  of  one  of  their  own  group, 
we  have  the  present  Church  of  the  Saviour,  Providence,  R. 
I. 

IX    THE    PROVINCE    OF    X£W   YORK    AND    NEW^   JERSEY 

In  1898,  Bishop  Potter  received  into  the  Church,  Rev. 
E.  George  Clifton,  D.  D.,  a  minister  from  the  A.  M.  E. 
Zion  Church.  The  result  of  the  effort  of  Dr.  Clifton  is 
St.  Davids  Church,  numbering  now  some  724  communicants. 
Dr.  Clifton  has  been  the  first  and  only  pastor. 

About  the  year  1904  the  City  Mission  Society  inaugu- 
rated an  effort  among  the  colored  people  in  West  63rd  street 
resulting  in  the  work  of  St.  Cyprians  Church,  and  industrial 
settlement.     The  Rev.  John  W.  Johnson  of  Virginia,  was 


228  The  Afro-American  Group 

called  to  the  charge  o  fthis  work  and  is  still  in  charge.     It 
reports  625  communicants. 

A  later  venture  of  this  same  society  is  the  Church  of  the 
Messiah  with  four  hundred  communicants  in  charge  of  Rev. 
M.  N.  Wilson,  a  clergyman  from  the  diocese  of  Sierra  Leone, 
Africa. 

Other  growing  congregations  in  the  diocese  of  New 
York  have  since  made  their  advent.  Such  as  St.  Judes,  the 
Crucifixion,  St.  Clements,  Mt.  Vernon  and  St.  Simon  the 
Cyrenian,  New  Rochelle. 

In  the  diocese  of  Long  Island  the  oldest  and  principal 
congregation  is  St.  Augustines,  Brooklyn,  Rev.  Dr.  George 
Frazier  Miller,  rector.  This  congregation  had  been  strug 
gling  for  a  long  time  and  upon  graduation  and  ordination  in 
1887,  the  Rev.  William  V.  Tunnell  was  put  in  charge.  Be- 
fore resigning  it  in  1891  to  accept  a  professorship  in  How- 
ard University,  Mr.  Tunnell  succeeded  in  securing  a  home 
for  the  work,  and  in  having  it  incorporated  as  a  self-sup- 
porting parish. 

In  more  recent  times  St.  Philips,  Dean  street  Brooklyn, 
Rev.  N.  Peterson  Boyd,  D.  D.,  minister  in  charge,  with 
335  communicants  has  been  built  up  into  a  flourishing  condi- 
tion under  its  present  energetic  pastor.  Then  there  is  St. 
Barnabas  Mission,  Belmont  street,  Brooklyn,  and  St.  Ste- 
phens Church,  Jamaica,  and  one  or  two  other  small  points 
in  that  diocese. 

St.  Philips,  Syracuse,  came  into  existence  more  than 
twenty-five  years  ago,  chiefly  through  some  communicants  of 
the  Church  of  the  Crucifixion,  Philadelphia,  who  had  re- 
moved to  that  place.  It  has  struggled  along  all  these  years, 
and,  recently,  through  the  special  interest  of  Bishop  Fiske 
and  others,  has  entered  upon  a  new  and  aggressive  period  of 
activity. 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  229 

Mention  elsewhere  has  been  made  of  the  one  work  in 
the  diocese  of  Western  New  York. 

The  oldest  organized  work  in  the  State  of  New  Jersey, 
dating  back  as  far  as  1856,  St.  Philips,  New^ark,  has  been 
alluded  to.  In  this  particular  church  in  1904,  the  Confer- 
ence of  Church  Workers  met.  No  more  interested  persons 
w^ho  attended  regularly  its  sessions  there  were  than  Bishop 
Lines  and  Rev.  Dr.  Alexander  Mann,  of  Boston,  but  then 
of  Orange,  N.  J.  Dr.  Mann  had  in  his  parish  in  Orange 
quite  a  respectable  group  of  colored  communicants.  Bishop 
Lines,  who  had  just  come  to  the  diocese,  was  filled  with  en- 
thusiasm for  the  extension  of  this  work.  The  organization 
of  the  Church  of  the  Epiphany  soon  followed,  and  the  very 
best  fortune  came  to  the  work  in  the  selection  of  the  man  to 
test  the  possibilities  of  the  new  endeavor.  The  present  priest 
in  charge,  Rev.  George  Marshall  Plaskett  was  selected  for 
the  task.  Epiphany  has  already  become  a  great  missionary 
and  inspiring  force  in  the  diocese  of  Newark.  The  parent 
church  of  the  diocese  being  effected  by  this  force  planted  the 
steadily  advancing  Church  of  the  Incarnation  in  Jersey  City. 
And,  directly  from  the  light  that  Epiphany  reflected,  we  have 
a  very  large  and  flourishing  congregation  at  Montclair,  Trin- 
ity, with  its  240  communicants.  And  at  Paterson  a  magni- 
ficent plant,  church  and  rectory,  with  Rev.  Robert  J.  John- 
son in  charge  of  St.  Aidan's  Mission. 

In  the  diocese  of  New  Jersey  our  oldest  effort  is  St. 
Augustines,  Camden,  established  in  1886  by  the  Rev.  J.  H. 
Townsend,  while  rector  of  St.  Johns  that  city.  This  mission 
is  the  successful  survivor  of  many  vicissitudes  and  seems  to 
have  put  on  new  and  vigorous  life  under  its  present  energetic 
pastor.  Rev.  Robert  A.  Jackson,  a  Baltimore  boy. 

The  second  effort  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Townsend  was  des- 
tined to  be  crow^ned  with  very  great  success.     Of  Atlantic 


230  The  Afro-American  Group 

City  and  St.  Augustine  we  have  already  written.  Mr.  Town- 
send  is  a  very  meek  and  modest  man,  and  he  insists  in  giving 
all  the  credit  to  the  one  whose  advice  he  strictly  foUowedj 
and  to  the  man  whose  leadership  accomplished  the  good  re- 
sults. But  this  all  the  more  magnifies  the  busy  parish  parson, 
who,  in  these  two  cities,  in  addition  to  his  own  work,  found 
the  time  to  work  so  splendidly  for  his  colored  brethren. 

The  success  of  the  Atlantic  City  work  directly  inspired 
the  successful  work  at  Asbury  Park.  And  the  man  who 
wrought  at  Asbury  Park  found  the  time  and  the  opportu- 
nity to  plant  the  mission  at  Red  Bank;  and,  again,  the  suc- 
cess at  Atlantic  City  stirred  up  the  heart  of  the  Rev.  E. 
Vicars  Stevenson  of  Plainfield,  to  put  forth  some  effort  in 
that  city  for  the  colored  people,  and,  through  discourage- 
ment, disappointment,  and  mistakes,  St.  Marks  Mission, 
that  city,  is  now  a  real  energizing  force.  And  then  came  the 
work  at  Elizabeth.  And  the  same  man  who  wrought  well 
at  Asbury  Park  has  succeeded  in  establishing  the  work  in 
Trenton,  N.  J. 

IX  THE  province   OF  WASHINGTON 

Since  early  in  the  seventies  Rev.  Dr.  Henry  L,  Phillips, 
a  native  of  Jamaica,  has  been  a  resident  of  the  city  of  Phila- 
delphia. He  has  seen  St.  Thomas  Church  and  the  Church 
of  the  Crucifixion  with  a  combined  communicant  list  of 
about  one  hundred.  A  warm  friend  of  Bishops  Stevens  and 
Whitaker,  Drs.  Matlack  and  Saul,  and  thoroughly  and  well 
known  by  all  of  the  influential  Churchmen  of  Philadelphia, 
he  has  constantly  in  diverse  ways  used  his  whole  influence 
towards  Church  extension  among  the  group  in  the  diocese  of 
Pennsylvania.  In  a  true  sense  today  he  is  the  Archdeacon 
of  the  work  begotten  by  himself.  Since  the  period  above 
mentioned  the  following  congregations  have  come  into  being : 
St.    Simon    the   Cyrenian,    the   largest   congregation   of    the 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  231 

group,  reporting  735  communicants  had  its  origin  as  a  mis- 
sion of  the  Church  of  the  Crucifixion.  The  Chapel  of  St. 
Michael  and  All  Angels  was  donated  by  a  lady  as  a  mem- 
orial for  the  use  of  the  sisters  and  the  colored  crippled  chil- 
dren of  that  institution.  Later  a  regular  congregation  from 
the  neighborhood  was  reared  in  connection  with  the  chapel. 
The  congregation  had  a  most  remarkable  growth  under  the 
administration  of  Rev.  J.  D.  Haredwood,  and  when  a  few 
years  ago  he  resigned  the  work,  some  two  hundred  of  the 
congregation  followed  him,  and  the  independent  parish  of 
the  Church  of  St.  John  the  Divine  was  organized. 

Under  the  fostering  care  of  one  of  the  Convocations,  St. 
Augustines  Church  was  initiated  and  very  greatly  built  up 
by  its  present  energetic  pastor.  Father  McDuffy.  The  only 
colored  congregation  served  by  a  white  priest  is  St.  Marys, 
Bainbridge  street,  under  the  fostering  care  of  St.  Marks 
Church.  Then  in  another  section  of  the  city  is  the  thriving 
Church  of  St.  Monicas,  under  the  pastoral  care  of  the  Rev. 
Richard  Bright.  The  Philips  Brooks  Memorial  Chapel, 
under  the  fostering  care  of  Holy  Trinity  Church  and  imme- 
daitely  under  the  pastoral  care  of  J:he  Rev.  Edgar  C.  Young 
is  another  flourishing  work.  Some  years  ago  an  industrial 
work  and  mothers'  meeting  were  begun  in  Germantown, 
and  now  we  have  the  splendid  work  of  St.  Barnabas,  Ger- 
mantown, under  the  able  leadership  of  the  Rev.  Earnest  S. 
Thomas,  during  the  past  fifteen  years.  Then  there  is  the 
mission  at  Elmwood,  Holy  Cross  Chapel.  St.  Marys  Mis- 
sion, Chester,  and  St.  Cyril's  Mission,  Coatesville,  Rev.  E. 
E.  Durant  in  charge. 

Recently  a  new  work  has  been  organized  in  Erie,  Pa,, 
the  first  of  its  kind  in  that  diocese.  Some  years  ago  the  Rev. 
J.  W.  Livingston  got  together  a  few  communicants  and 
organized  the  mission  of  St.  Augustine,   Harrisburg,    (now 


21)2  The  Afro-American  Group 

the  Church  of  the  Holy  Cross)  in  charge  of  the  Rev.  W.  M. 
Parchment.  From  the  very  beginning  Bishop  Darlington 
took  the  most  affectionate  interest  in  the  new  mission,  and 
has  continued  to  this  day  to  make  it  the  object  of  his  special 
solicitude.  During  the  administration  of  the  Rev.  E.  H. 
Oxley  at  Harrsburg,  the  second  mission  in  the  diocese  was 
opened.  This  was  the  mission  at  Altoona,  which  is  pro- 
gressing and  now  has  a  minister  of  its  own  in  the  person  of 
the  Rev.  E.  A.  Craig.  The  work  in  Pittsburgh  was  an  old 
one,  dating  way  back  to  the  time  of  the  Rev.  William  H. 
Wilson  who  went  to  Pittsburgh  during  the  Episcopate  of 
Bishop  Kerfoot.  But  it  was  in  a  state  of  slow  death  when 
Bishop  Whitehead  procured  the  services  of  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Scott  Wood  who  very  greatly  revived  it  and  enlarged  the 
work.  His  health  breaking  down  he  was  forced  to  retire 
from  active  work,  and  was  succeeded  by  the  present  pastor, 
Rev.  Shelton  H.  Bishop,  who  has  built  it  up  to  more  than 
five  hundred  communicants.  The  name  has  been  changed 
from  St.  Augustines  to  Holy  Cross,  and  the  location  from 
Alleghany  to  Pittsburgh  proper. 

St.  Matthews  Mission,  Wilmington,  Del.,  organized  by 
the  late  Bishop  Coleman  many  years  ago  is  still  alive  await- 
ing the  right  treatment  which  will  constitute  it  a  force  and 
power  in  a  community  where  it  is  very  much  needed. 

In  the  diocese  of  Maryland  there  are  five  separate  col- 
ored congregations.  Reference  has  already  been  made  to  St. 
James.  Numerically  the  largest  congregation  is  St.  Marys, 
a  chapel  of  Mt.  Calvary  parish.  St.  Katharines  is  also  a 
chapel  of  this  same  white  parish.  Both  of  these  chapels  are 
served  by  the  clergy  of  Mt.  Calvary  parish.  St.  Philips, 
Cumberland,  is  in  charge  of  the  Rev.  Cornelius  R.  Dawson. 
St.  Philips  Church,  Annapolis,  is  to  be  placed  under  the  care 


OF  iHE  Episcopal  Church  233 

of  the  author  of  this  volume,  and  who  is  to  have  the  assis- 
tance of  the  Rev.  Gustave  H.  Caution. 

In  the  diocese  of  Washington  we  have  St.  Lukes  parish, 
Rev.  Thomas  J.  Brown,  rector;  St.  Marys,  Rev.  Oscar  L. 
Mitchell,  pastor,  a  chapel  of  St.  Johns  parish;  Calvary 
Church  and  the  Chapel  of  the  Atonement  under  the  care  of 
the  Rev.  F.  A.  I.  Bennett;  St.  Monica's,  Rev.  George  A. 
Fisher,  pastor,  St.  Philips,  Anacostia,  Rev.  W.  V.  Tunnell 
in  charge.  A  mission  in  connection  with  the  Cathedral  is  in 
charge  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Douse.  In  Prince  George's  county 
and  St.  Mary's  and  Charles,  there  are  two  or  three  small 
missions  under  the  oversight  of  the  Rev.  J.  E.  G.  Small. 

In  the  city  of  Washington  the  separate  church  movement 
was  initiated  by  a  group  of  colored  communicants  connected 
with  the  Church  of  the  Epiphany,  of  which  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Charles  H.  Hall  was  rector.  Dr.  Hall  encouraged  them 
and  became  active  in  the  matter.  He  was  joined  by  Rev. 
John  Vaughan  Lewis,  rector  of  St.  Johns  Church.  Through 
Dr.  Hall  the  old  chapel  was  donated  by  Secretary  Stanton, 
and  a  parishioner  of  St.  Johns  donated  the  lot  on  23rd 
street.  The  work  being  in  St.  Johns  parish.  Dr.  Hall 
dropped  out.  In  1873  the  Rev.  Dr.  Alexander  Crummell 
took  charge  of  the  work,  and  it  had  a  continuous  growth. 
The  following  year,  1874,  Dr.  Crummell  effected  a  regular 
canonical  organization  and  a  vestry  was  elected.  A  few 
years  later  St.  Lukes  Church  was  organized  and  Dr.  Crum- 
mell, with  the  major  portion  of  the  people  removed  to  the 
new  site.  From  1880  the  work  at  St.  Marys  assumed  the 
special  aspect  under  St.  Johns  parish,  of  social-missionary 
work  among  the  very  poor  of  the  neighborhood  in  which  it 
was  located. 

In  West  Virginia  we  have  three  missions.     The  oldest,  at 


234  The  Afro-American  Group 

Charlestown,  about  thirty-five  years  of  age,  is  in  charge  of 
the  Rev.  J.  H.  Hudson. 

In  Shepherdstown  and  at  the  capital,  Charleston,  is  a 
small  mission  in  each  place. 

As  we  travel  southward  the  number  of  points  increase 
and  the  number  of  communicants  to  the  points  decreases. 
We  shall  only  mention  the  more  important  ones  of  some 
appreciable  numerical  strength. 

The  chief  work  in  the  diocese  of  Virginia  is  St.  Philips, 
Richmond,  Va.,  Rev.  Junius  L.  Taylor,  D.  D.,  rector.  It 
reports  178  communicants.  During  the  past  few  years  this 
congregation,  after  maintaining  an  existence  ever  since  short- 
ly after  the  Civil  War,  has  become  entirely  self-sustaining 
under  its  capable  and  exceedingly  energetic  rector. 

The  mother  church  in  Virginia,  St.  Stephens,  Petersburg, 
Rev.  Emmett  E.  Miller,  has  also  become  entirely  self-sus- 
taining. Grce  Church,  Norfolk,  Va.,  Rev.  J.  D.  Lee,  rec- 
tor, admitted  as  a  mission  church  in  1888,  has  also  become 
self-sustaining.  St.  James,  Portsmouth,  begun  just  before 
the  author  moved  to  Baltimore,  thirty  years  ago,  under  the 
able  leadership  of  its  present  rector,  is  rapidly  approaching 
the  point  of  complete  self-support.  The  same  thing  can  be 
said  of  St.  Cyprians  Church,  Hampton,  Va.,  Rev.  E.  H. 
Hamilton  in  charge. 

IX    THE    PROVINCE   OF   SEWANEE 

In  the  State  of  North  Carolina  we  have  not  a  single  con- 
gz-egation  reporting  as  many  as  two  hundred  communicants. 
The  oldest  congregation  is  St.  Cyprians,  ,New  Berne,  estab- 
lished in  1866  by  Bishop  Atkinson.  It  reports  140  commu- 
nicants. St.  Ambrose,  Raleigh  (formerly  St.  Augustine) 
leports  148  communicants.  In  Wilmington,  where  St. 
Marks  Church  was  established  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Brady  in 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  235 

1872,  we  have  161  communicants.  And  in  Charlotte,  where 
a  very  important  educational  work  of  the  Church  has  been 
maintained  for  many  years  we  have  115  communicants. 
Apart  from  these  congregations  mentioned,  excluding  the 
school  chapel  of  St.  Augustine's,  Raleigh,  reporting  136  com- 
municants, less  than  one  hundred  communicants  are  reported 
from  each  of  the  other  congregations  in  North  Carolina.  We 
had  forgotten  St.  Matthias,  Ashville,  reporting  114. 

In  South  Carolina  we  have  two  congregations  reporting 
more  than  two  hundred  communicants  each.  St.  Marks,  an 
independent  parish  from  its  birth  in  1866,  reports  292.  Cal- 
vary Church,  presided  over  by  Archdeacon  Baskerville,  es- 
tablished about  1847,  as  a  slave  chapel,  reports  243.  There 
are  two  others  reporting  more  than  one  hundred,  St.  Lukes 
parish,  Columbia,  dating  back  to  the  seventies,  reports  108. 
The  Mission  of  the  Redeemer,  Pineville,  reports  122. 

In  the  diocese  of  Georgia  there  are  three  congregations 
reporting  more  than  one  hundred  communicants  each.  The 
oldest  work  is  the  self-supporting  parish  of  St.  Stephens, 
Savannah,  established  in  1861,  and  now  reports  190  commu- 
nicants. The  self-support'ing  parish  of  St.  Athanasius, 
Brunswick,  reports  220.  St.  Augustines  Mission,  Savannah, 
presided  over  by  Archdeacon  J.  H.  Brown,  reports  120. 

In  the  diocese  of  Atlanta  the  highest  number  of  com- 
municants reported  is  49  by  St.  Matthias,  Atlanta.  St. 
Pauls  in  the  same  city  reports  42. 

In  Florida  St.  Philips,  Jacksonville,  reports  237  commu- 
nicants. None  of  the  other  missions  in  that  diocese  report 
as  many  as  seventy-five. 

In  Southern  Florida  St.  Agnes,  Miami  leads  with  280; 
Coconut  Grove,  212;  St.  James,  Tampa,  159,  and  St.  Pa- 
tricks, West  Palm  Beach,  104. 

In  Alabama  we   have  two   works  each   reporting   more 


236  The  Afro-American  Group 

than  one  hundred  communicants.  At  Mobile  is  the  self- 
supporting  Church  of  the  Good  Shepherd  with  132  commu- 
nicants, and  at  Birmingham  St.  Marks  Church  with  112 
communicants. 

In  Mississippi  our  largest  congregation  is  in  V'icksburg, 
and  reports  only  eighty-five  communicants.  In  Louisiana  we 
have  St.  Lukes  Church,  New  Orleans,  with  106  communi- 
cants. This  congregation  is  nearly  fifty  years  old.  In 
Kentucky  we  have  the  Church  of  the  Merciful  Savior, 
Louisville,  with  two  hundred  communicants. 

NOTE 

Of  three  very  old  works  we  have  an  added  w^ord.  St. 
Cyprian's,  New  Berne,  N.  C,  in  years  of  the  long  ago,  held 
within  its  membership  a  number  of  the  more  influential  col- 
ored men  of  the  State  of  North  Carolina.  We  recall  at  this 
moment  the  late  Isaac  H.  Smith,  the  Negro  banker.  The 
late  Rev.  Dr.  Joseph  C.  Price,  of  the  Zion  connection,  one 
of  the  most  celebrated  orators  this  country  has  produced, 
in  early  life  was  a  member  of  the  mission  school  of  this  con- 
gregation. Prof.  John  Wesley  Cromwell  in  his  "Negro  in 
American  History/'  records  Rev.  Thomas  H.  Battle  with 
the  following  concerning  Joseph  Charles  Price: 

"It  was  in  the  year  1862  when  I  was  superintendent  of 
the  Sunday  School  of  St.  Andrews  Chapel  that  I  was  led  by 
Providence  on  a  bright  Sunday  morning  to  the  church  door. 
There  I  stood  for  several  minutes  and  while  standing  there 
I  saw  a  little  black  barefooted  boy  coming  stepping  along  on 
the  railroad  track.  When  he  got  opposite  the  church  door 
I  halted  him  and  invited  him  in  the  Sabbath  School.  He 
liked  the  services  so  well  that  he  w^as  constrained  to  come 
again.  At  last  he  joined  the  Sabbath  School  and  became  a 
punctual  scholar.  From  his  stern,  yet  pleasant  looks,  his 
nice  behavior  and  other  virtuous  elements  that  were  main- 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  237 

tained  in  him  Sunday  after  Sunday  he  attracted  my  atten- 
tion more  than  any  other  scholar.  While  other  scholars 
would  laugh  at  him  because  of  his  boldness  of  speech  and  his 
eagerness  to  answer  the  questions  that  were  put  forth.  One 
Sunday  in  the  midst  of  these  abuses  which  he  received,  I 
was  compelled  to  lay  my  hand  on  his  head  and  exclaim  these 
words:  'The  day  will  come,  my  dear  scholars,  when  this  boy 
Price  will  shake  the  whole  civilized  world,  and  some  of  you 
will  be  glad  to  get  a  chance  to  black  his  boots.'  Little  did 
I  think  my  prediction  would  come  to  pass  so  exact,  but  so 
it  did." 

The  late  Dr.  Price  was  a  warm  and  dear  friend  of  the 
present  author. 

St.  Marks  congregation,  Charleston,  w^as  constituted  im- 
mediately after  the  Civil  War  of  a  number  of  the  most  cap- 
able and  influential  persons  of  our  group.  We  recall  C.  C. 
Leslie  the  wholesale  fish  merchant,  C.  C.  Birnie,  occupying 
a  most  responsible  position  in  the  cotton  exchange  of  the 
city,  the  Crafts  and  many  others  of  similar  public  standing. 
The  children  of  these  people  were  sent  to  some  of  our  best 
colleges.     St.  Marks  was  self-supporting  from  its  very  birth. 

In  Savannah,  in  St.  Stephens  Church,  we  had  pretty 
much  the  same  potential  conditions  as  obtained  in  Charles- 
ton. More  than  thirty  years  ago  we  visited  Savannah  as  the 
special  guest  of  this  parish,  and  at  their  expense.  We  were 
royally  entertained  by  them.  We  have  pointed  out  these 
facts  in  order  to  indicate  the  golden  opportunity  which  the 
Church  lost  at  that  time  in  not  putting  ino  effect  the  Mis- 
sionary District  plan.  At  various  points  all  through  the 
South  w^ere  groups  of  colored  people  connected  with  the 
Church  such  as  the  above.  They  needed  a  chance  to  draw 
out  their  own  powers  in  laboring  to  bring  the  people  of  our 
group  into  the  Church.     Instead  of  being  given  that  oppor- 


238  TiiK  Afro-Am ERicAX  Group 

tunit\',  they  were  discouraged,  disheartened  and  depressed 
through  the  agitations  of  the  "color  question"  in  diocesan 
assemhlies.  When  we  consider  the  eagerness  of  the  black 
people  of  those  times  to  rise  and  be  somebody,  it  is  not  at  all 
surprising  that  after  fifty  years  we  are  so  few  in  numbers  in 
the  Southern  States,  but  the  w^onder  is  that  w^e  are  still  alive 
and  heroically  striving  "to  hold  the  fort."  It  takes  unusual 
courage  and  moral  stamina  in  the  midst  of  advancing  racial 
life  for  black  men  to  hold  on  to  "the  white  man's  church," 
without  any  fixed  "status" — merely  tolerated. 

When  it  is  recalled  how^  persistent  our  eftort  has  been 
from  the  Civil  War  to  the  present  times  in  providing  mis- 
sion schools  throughout  the  South,  the  number  of  teachers 
employed,  and  the  vast  amounts  expended,  and  in  spite  of  it 
all  note  the  smallness  of  the  number  of  communicants  re- 
ported, we  have  at  least  the  comfort  and  the  consolation  that 
it  all  has  resulted  materially  in  the  improvement  of  the  life 
of  the  black  people,  athough  we  have  profited  but  little  in 
direct  Church  extension. 

Such  was  inevitable  under  a  system  which  failed  to  take 
note  of  the  imperative  requirements  of  the  new  trend  of  ra- 
cial life.  The  colored  people  eagerly  availed  themselves  of 
whatever  educational  opportunities  that  were  presented.  But 
with  respect  to  their  organized  life  as  a  body  of  Christians 
no  organization  could  prevail  among  them  which  did  not 
enter  into  their  entire  life,  social,  civil  and  intellectual.  They 
wanted  to  rise.  They  had  ambition  to  be  everything  that 
other  people  were.  They  may  have  been  wrong,  but  from 
their  point  of  view  none  but  their  own  leaders  could  guide 
them  to  the  haven  where  they  would  be. 

The  talented,  earnest  and  sincere  Bishop  of  South  Caro- 
lina stated  the  situation  in  these  words — said  Bishop  Guerry: 
"No  white  man  can  work  effectively  or  satisfactorily  among 


OF  TfiE  Episcopal  Church  239 

a  race  that  he  can  not  visit  socially.  A  large  part  of  a  Bishop's 
influence  and  success  comes  through  social  contact  with  his 
people.  How  then  can  he  represent  a  race  or  understand 
their  needs  unless  he  can  enter  their  homes  and  come  into 
personal  contact  with  them?"  And  many  years  ago  the 
venerable  Bishop  of  Dallas  said:  ''The  only  solution  of  this 
problem  as  yet  presented  which  is  at  all  likely  to  be  useful  is 
to  found  missionary  districts  among  them  and  appoint  mis- 
sionary Bishops  to  take  charge  of  them  with  the  same  rights 
and  powers  as  all  other  missionary  bishops  enjoy." 

IX  THE  PROVINCE  OF  THE  MID-WEST 

In  the  diocese  of  Ohio  we  have  three  separate  works.  St. 
Andrews,  Cleveland,  reports  384  communicants.  This  is 
the  oldest  in  the  diocese,  and  its  birth  dates  with  the  coming 
of  the  present  Bishop  to  that  see.  It  has  a  magnificent  plant, 
and,  if  we  mistake  not,  is  a  monument  of  the  material  lib- 
erality of  Bishop  Leonard  to  the  glory  of  God  and  in  loving 
memory  of  Mrs.  Leonard. 

The  remaining  congregations,  one  in  Toledo  and  the 
other  in  Youngstown,  report  more  than  one  hundred  com- 
municants each.  The  youngest  of  these,  St.  Augustines, 
Youngstown,  a  little  more  than  half  a  score  years  ago,  had 
its  origin  in  a  remarkable  manner.  A  colored  woman,  a  Mrs. 
Berry,  of  the  Baptist  persuasion,  who  had  never  been  in  an 
Episcopal  Church,  distressed  by  the  irreligion  of  the  race  in 
that  community,  had  a  "vision"  that  an  Episcopal  Church 
was  the  one  thing  needed  to  better  conditions.  She  followed 
this  up  by  calling  on  the  rector  of  St.  Johns  Church,  that 
city,  and  urging  him  to  come  to  the  help  of  the  Lord.  The 
mission  of  St.  Augustines  soon  followed. 

Bishop  Vincent  of  Southern  Ohio  has  his  monument  of 
endeavor  in  the  hadnsome  edifice  of  St.  Andrews,  Cincinnati 


240  The  Afro-American  Group 

with  its  325  communicants.  There  are  three  other  congre- 
gations in  the  diocese,  all  of  them  save  one  reporting  more 
than  one  hundred  communicants. 

The  only  congregation  we  have  in  Indiana  is  St.  Philips, 
Indianapolis  with  68  communicants. 

In  the  State  of  Illinois,  our  largest  work  is  that  of  St. 
Thomas,  Chicago,  with  1160  communicants.  At  Evanston 
we  have  another  congregation  with  less  than  one  hundred 
communicants. 

In  the  diocese  of  Springfield  there  are  two  missions,  both 
of  them  reporting  less  than  one  hundred  communicants.  In 
the  diocese  of  Quinc}'  there  are  two  very  small  missions. 

In  the  diocese  of  Michigan  we  have  St.  Matthews 
Church  with  550  communicants,  and  the  recently  organized 
mission  of  St.  Cyprian  pushing  on  tow^ards  one  hundred 
communicants;  and  in  Western  Michigan,  , Grand  Rapids, 
we  have  St.  Philips  Mission  with  seventy-two  communicants. 

IN   THE   PROVINCE  OF  THE   NORTHWEST 

In  Minnesota  we  have  St.  Philips,  St.  Paul,  with  125 
communicants,  and  St.  Thomas,  Minneapolis,  with  less  than 
one  hundred  communicants.  In  Iowa  we  have  St.  Marry 
the  Virgin,  Keokuk,  with  less  than  one  hundred  communi- 
cants. In  Omaha,  Nebraska  w^e  have  the  Church  of  St. 
Philip  the  Deacon,  a  monument  to  the  liberality  of  the  late 
Bishop  Worthihgton,  with  115  communicants.  The  late 
Bishop  Millspaugh,  while  dean  of  the  Cathedral,  organized 
St.  Philips. 

In  Colorado,  at  Denver,  we  have  the  Church  of  the  Re- 
deemer, with  149  communicants,  and  the  Epiphany,  Colorado 
Springs,  with  less  than  one  hundred  communicants. 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  .  241 

IN  THE   PROVINCE  OF  THE  SOUTHWEST 

In  Kansas  we  have  four  missions,  but  no  one  of  them  re- 
ports as  mam'  as  one  hundred  communicants.  In  Missouri 
we  have  the  largest  work  within  the  Province,  All  Saints, 
St.  Louis,  with  412  communicants.  In  West  Missouri  we 
have  St.  Augustines,  Kansas  City,  with  one  hundred  and 
forty  communicants,  and  St.  Matthias,  St.  Joseph,  with  ten 
communicants.  In  Arkansas  we  have  five  congregations,  the 
largest  of  which  is  St.  Marys,  Hot  Springs,  with  82  commu- 
nicants. In  Oklahoma  we  have  three  congregations,  the 
largest  being  the  Redeemer,  Oklahoma  City,  with  forty-eight 
communicants.  In  the  diocese  of  Texas  we  have  four  con- 
gregations, St.  Augustine,  Galveston,  being  the  largest  with 
sixty-seven  communicants.  In  the  diocese  of  Dallas  we  have 
one  congregation  with  eight  communicants.  In  the  diocese 
of  West  Texas  we  have  one  congregation  with  twenty-two 
communicants. 

IN  THE    PROVINCE  OF  THE   PACIFIC 

In  the  diocese  of  California  we  have  one  congregation 
with  186  communication,  St.  Augustines,  Oakland.  In  the 
diocese  of  Los  Angeles  w^e  have  St.  Philips,  Los  Angeles, 
w^ith  211  communicants.  In  the  diocese  of  Oregon  we  have 
one  congregation,  St.  Philips,  Portland,  with  thirty-five 
communicants. 

One  way  to  realize  the  value  of  the  seed  planted  by  col- 
ored priests  before  the  Civil  War,  is  in  tracing  one-half  of 
our  present  communicants  in  the  entire  country  to  their  effort 
directly  or  indirectly.  And  when  we  have  given  full  value 
to  the  consecrated  and  loving  services  of  white  priests  among 
our  group,  the  significant  fact  remains,  despite  their  prestige, 
and  the  financial  resources  at  their  backing,  that  in  all  our 


242  The  Afro-American  Group 

investigations  we  have  not  discovered  one  missionary  effort 
initiated  by  them  among  colored  people  and  brought  to  self- 
supporting  efficiency.     We  simply  make  record  of  the  fact. 

The  aggregate  number  of  colored  communicants  reported 
by  the  colored  congregations  in  the  following  cities  amount 
to  more  than  thirteen  thousand:  Boston,  Brooklyn,  New 
York,  Philadelphia,  Baltimore  and  Washington.  The  work 
in  all  of  these  large  centers  was  initiated  by  colored  priests. 
Boston  and  Washington  may  need  a  qualifying  word.  The 
first  ''separate"  colored  congregation  in  Boston  was  initiated 
by  Bishop  Hall  of  Vermont,  in  1885.  But,  really,  this  was 
the  colored  part  of  a  white  parish,  St.  John  the  Evangelist. 
The  actual  beginning  of  that  springing  from  the  race,  was, 
and  is,  the  large  Church  of  St.  Bartholomews,  Cambridge, 

In  Washington  shortly  after  the  Civil  War,  colored  com- 
municants of  the  Church  of  the  Epiphany  initiated  the  "sep- 
arate" congregation  idea,  and  that  idea  was  encouraged  by 
Drs.  Hall  and  J.  Vaughan  Lewis;  but  it  was  not  until  1874, 
under  the  leading  of  Alexander  Crummell  that  the  group 
was  canonically  organized,  a  vestry  elected  and  admitted 
into  union  with  the  Convention.  When  the  parish  migrated 
to  the  new  site  those  who  remained  behind  became,  as  they 
are  today,  a  part  of  the  family  of  St.  Johns  parish. 

Now  if  you  add  to  the  aforementioned  six  cities  four 
others,  Chicago,  Detroit,  St.  Louis  and  Atlantic  City,  we 
have  altogether  more  than  sixteen  thousand  colored  commu- 
nicants reported  from  these  ten  cities.  The  work  in  Detroit 
was  organized  by  a  former  colored  Baptist  preacher  who 
came  into  the  Church.  In  St.  Louis,  Chicago,  and  Atlantic 
City  the  organizer  was  one  who  had  been  a  former  communi- 
cant of  St.  James  First  African  Church,  Baltimore. 

The  white  men  who  have  wrought  in  this  field  for  the 
most  part,  were  of  the  highest  culture  and  elevation  of  char- 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  243- 

acter.  They  were  devoted  and  sincere  and  their  spiritual 
ministrations  were  helpful  in  the  extreme,  and  contributed 
towards  substantial  character-building.  But  the  work  of 
building  up  from  within,  into  self-support  and  efficiency  is 
peculiarly  associated  with  the  constructive  leadership  of  mem- 
bers of  the  group  whose  self-expresson  is  attempted. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

THE  MATTER  OF  SELF  SUPPORT 

It  is  pertinent  to  ask  the  question:  Whose  fault  is  it  that 
we  have  so  few  self-supporting  congregations  among  our 
group  ? 

At  the  very  beginning,  a  group  of  colored  people  from 
the  Methodists  deliberateh*  decided  to  become  Episcopalians 
on  three  conditions.  Although  it  was  in  the  year  1794,  and 
they  had  not  very  long  enjoyed  "freedom,"  yet  they  came 
not  as  beggars,  but  as  self-respecting  men.  With  the  aid  of 
philanthropic  friends,  they  had  already  erected  their  own 
church  edifice.  They  purposed  to  conform  to  the  Episcopal 
Church  and  bring  along  their  building  onthe  following  con- 
ditions: 1st,  They  were  to  be  received  as  an  orgaiiized  body 
of  the  African  race;  2nd,  they  were  to  have  guaranteed  to 
them  forever  control  of  their  own  affairs;  and,  3rdly  one  of 
their  number,  if  found  fit,  was  to  be  regularly  ordained  as 
their  pastor.  The  conditions  were  accepted  and  St.  Thomas 
African  Church  given  every  privilege  accorded  to  other 
Episcopal  congregations.  Later,  in  order  to  secure  the  dis- 
pensing vote  of  the  Convention  whereby  their  future  pastor 
might  be  exempted  from  examinations  in  Greek  and  Latin, 
necessary  for  his  ordination,  they  surrendered  the  privilege  of 
representatioji  in  the  Convention. 

Previous  to  the  ordination  of  Absalom  Jones,  in  an  In- 
terview between  Bishop  White  and  the  trustees  of  St.  Tho- 
mas Church,  two  distinct  things  were  accomplished.     First, 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  245 

Bishop  White  made  perfectly  clear  to  the  trustees  the  effect 
of  the  "condition"  to  which  they  had  assented.  They  were 
satisfied  on  that  score.  Next,  before  ordaining  Jones,  Bishop 
White  exacted  a  pledge  of  support  for  him. 

They  were  an  independent  parish  with  local  control  of 
their  affairs,  and  readily  and  cheerfully  assumed  the  full  re- 
sponsibility of  the  support  of  their  minister.  For  sevent}^- 
five  years  the  same  plan  alone,  obtained  with  all  of  the  Afri- 
can congregations  brought  to  birth.  There  were  no  missions; 
all  were  started  as  parishes  with  the  responsibility  of  sup- 
porting their  own  ministers.  Although  it  meant  great  self- 
sacrifice  upon  the  part  of  the  various  groups,  they  never  com- 
plained, and  much  magnificent  constructive  work,  before 
the  'Civil  War,  was  accomplished  by  these  pioneer  Negro 
parishes. 

After  the  Civil  War  the  same  model  was  at  first  intro- 
duced in  the  Southern  States  in  work  among  our  group. 
Bishop  Atkinson,  who  had  been  a  rector  in  Baltimore,  got 
the  idea  from  St.  James  First  African  Church.  In  1866  he 
had  St.  Cyprian's,  New  Berne,  N.  C,  organized  as  an  inde- 
pendent parish  and  admitted  into  union  with  the  Conven- 
tion. But  the  sentiment  in  North  Carolina  was  far  from 
being  heartily  with  Bishop  Atkinson,  either  in  this  partcular 
matter  or  on  his  determination  to  ordain  colored  men  to  the 
ministry.  It  was  not  until  1873  that  he  ordained  his  first 
colored  candidate. 

In  he  Virginia  Council  of  1869,  of  which  the  late  Rev. 
Joseph  S.  Atwell  was  a  member,  a  determined  effort  was 
made,  led  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  C.  J.  Gibson,  brother-in-law  of 
Bishop  Atkinson,  for  the  admission  of  St.  Stephens  Church, 
Petersburg,  Va.,  as  a  full-fledged  parish.  The  discussion  was 
long  and  animating,  and  the  matter  hotly  contested.  It  was 
a  real  genuine  fight.     The  application  for  admission  was  defi- 


246  The  Afro-Am ericax  Group 

nite  and  direct  and  had  been  guided  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Gibson, 
who,  as  chairman  of  the  committee  on  new  parishes,  brought 
a  unanimous  recommendation  favoring  the  immediate  admis- 
sion of  the  parish.  The  petition,  signed  by  the  rector  and 
vestry  of  St.  Stephens,  after  reciting  all  the  necessary  parti- 
culars, concluded:  "therefore,  respectfully  pray  your  honor- 
able body  to  receive  us  under  your  direction  as  a  parish  with 
all  the  rights  and  privileges  of  other  parishes  of  the  Diocese/' 
The  discussion  of  the  matter  occupied  most  of  the  time  of 
that  memorable  Convention. 

At  last  a  kind  of  compromise  prevailed,  whereby  colored 
clergymen  were  admitted  to  the  council  with  full  privileges, 
but  St.  Stephens  was  not  admitted  as  a  parish,  but  "taken 
under  the  care"  of  the  council,  and  its  interests  cared  for  by 
the  "standing  committee  on  colored  congregations."  It  had 
a  very  disastrous  effect  upon  that  congregation,  and  resulted 
in  changing  its  whole  course  of  appeal  to  the  colored  race. 
For  Rev.  Mr.  Atwell  had  built  it  up  with  the  most  intelli- 
gent and  influential  class  of  our  group,  and  was  aiming  to 
make  large  increase  in  the  same  direction.  He  was  so  dis- 
couraged at  the  turn  of  affairs  that  in  a  few  years  he  left  the 
diocese,  accepting  work  in  Georgia. 

In  Savannah,  Ga.,  St.  Stephens  Church  had  been  ad- 
mitted into  union  with  the  Convention  as  a  regular  parish. 
Mr.  Atwell  was  called  to  its  rectorship  and  through  the  in- 
fluence of  the  late  Bishop  Whittle  of  Virginia,  and  Bishop 
Whittle's  brother,  Col.  Whittle,  residing  in  Georgia,  Mr. 
Atwell  was  well  received  and  given  a  seat  in  the  Convention 
of  that  diocese.  In  1866  St.  Marks,  Charleston,  had  or- 
ganized as  a  regular  parish.  After  waiting  for  ten  years  It 
applied  for  admission  into  union  with  the  Convention,  but 
after  long  and  stormy  debates  extending  over  some  years,  its 
application  was  rejected. 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  247 

In  the  meantime  there  was  a  certain  sentiment  maturing 
in  the  North  as  well  as  in  the  South  against  the  ordination 
of  Negroes  to  the  ministry.  In  the  North  there  was  a  cer- 
tain priest  by  name  Rev.  W.  T.  Webbe,  who  in  his  paper 
The  Standard,  argued  earnestly  and  vigorously  against  the 
ordination  of  Negroes.  In  the  South,  there  were  not  a  few 
who  maintained  that  such  should  not  be  permitted  to  go 
further  than  the  diaconate.  Out  of  this  atmosphere  a  kind 
of  sentiment  gradually  obtained  in  favor  of  the  "dependent 
state,"  attaching  colored  congregations  to  white  parishes,  or 
placing  them  entirely  under  the  supervision  and  direction  of 
the  Bishop  without  the  status  of  parishes. 

The  aspiring,  self-respecting  and  industrious  element  of 
our  group  were  discouraged  and  disheartened.  Thereafter, 
special  attention  was  directed  towards  the  very  poor  and 
least  intelligent  of  our  group,  who  more  readily  responded  to 
the  personal  help  and  kindnesses  of  "Mr.  Charlie"  and  "Miss 
Bessie."  Thus,  by  constant  reflection  of  such  a  system  of 
"dependency"  it  has  long  since  become  the  normal  habit. 
Possibly,  the  most  of  our  colored  clergy,  through  long  years 
of  submission  and  dependence,  almost  unconsciously,  are 
nailed  down  to  such  a  system. 

However,  it  is  evident  that  we  can  hope  for  but  little 
if  any  advance  until  a  way  is  found  whereby  we  can  put  our 
colored  congregations  on  a  permanent  basis  of  self-support. 
If  a  clergyman,  ministering  to  a  comparatively  small  group 
of  communicants,  for  years  having  received  the  major  por- 
tion of  his  support  through  the  Bishop,  with  only  two  or 
three  hundred  dollars  coming  directly  from  the  people  served 
by  him,  seriously  attempts  to  apply  himself  in  the  matter,  he 
will  find  great  difficulty  in  reaching  the  conclusion  that  he 
can  safely  trust  his  entire  financial  support  to  his  own  people. 


248  The  Afro-American  Group 

So  accustomed  to  repose,  heroic  action  becomes  normally 
unnatural. 

It  seems  to  us  that  all  diocesan  mission  churches  not 
having  the  status  of  a  parish,  should  be  denied  the  right  to 
elect  a  vestry.  The  Bishop  of  the  diocese  upon  the  nomina- 
tion of  his  missionary,  should  annually  appoint  whatever 
vestry  or  business  committee  that  may  be  required.  Men  who 
are  members  of  all  the  secret  orders  and  other  Negro  socie- 
ties, so  that  they  have  little  or  no  time  to  give  to  Church 
concerns  are  absolutely  worthless  as  vestrymen.  If  the 
mission  ever  reaches  the  status  of  a  parish  it  will  be  through 
the  labors  of  the  clergj^man  more  than  through  anyone  else. 
He  has  to  do  the  thinking  and  planning.  His  own  self- 
respect  is  at  stake  more  than  that  of  anyone  in  the  mission; 
for,  if  he  is  not  wholly  lost  to  self-esteem  he  can  not  bear 
the  idea  of  forever  receiving  the  major  portion  of  his  sup- 
port through  his  Bishop.  Since,  then,  the  Bishop  rightly 
looks  to  him  in  this  matter,  he  should  be  so  placed  as  to  be 
able  to  effect  the  desired  result.  He  should  have  authority 
to  make  a  selection  of  the  men  who  are  to  be  trained  under 
him  for  vestrymn.  Men,  who  being  free  of  ''entangling  al- 
liances" will  delight  in  giving  their  time  to  Church  concerns, 
and  laboring  together  with  the' missionary  in  reaching  inde- 
pendence and  self-support.  Year  by  year,  by  this  method, 
the  minister  can  leave  off  those  who  prove  themselves  ineffi- 
cient, and  substitute  others  in  their  places. 

The  whole  membership  of  the  mission  should  be  divided 
up  among  the  members  of  this  board.  Each  one  should  keep 
in  constant  touch  with  the  persons  committed  to  his  charge. 
The  weekly  meetings  could  be  made  of  great  account,  not 
only  in  hearing  the  various  reports,  but  for  educational  and 
spiritual  purposes  as  well. 

Under  present  conditions  we  believe  the  scheme  suggest- 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  249 

ed  is  the  best  practical  agency  for  the  promotion  of  self-sup- 
port among  the  members  of  our  group.  But  the  Bishop 
must  thoroughly  approve  such  plan,  and  the  missionary  or 
suffragan  Bishop  in  charge  must  have  the  necessary  force  of 
character,  broad  experience,  industry  and  persistency  to  put 
the  thing  across. 

Here  is  a  mission  of  two  hundred  communicants.  Let 
us  say  the  missionary  in  charge  has  selected  the  best  and  most 
active  ten  persons  in  his  congregation,  men  and  women,  who 
are  anxious  and  willing  to  serve.  These  names  are  forward- 
ed to  the  Bishop,  and,  in  due  season,  he  sends  to  each  a  for- 
mal appointment,  subject  to  revocation  on  his  part.  This 
"vestry,"  or  business  committee  assembles  with  the  mission- 
ary as  presiding  officer.  The  board  organizes  and  plans  its 
work.  A  district,  consisting  of  twenty  members,  is  given  to 
each  committeeman.  He  is  to  see  and  know  each  member  of 
his  group  and  labor  to  rightly  educate  them  with  respect  to 
Church  affairs.  Each  communicant  who  says:  "Give  us  this 
day  our  daily  bread,"  should  be  asked  to  give  back  to  God  a 
portion  of  that  "daily  bread."  The  contribution  asked  of 
each  should  cover  all  the  needs  of  the  work.  Each  one  should 
be  asked  to  pledge  so  much  a  day  for  the  work  of  the  Church, 
including  missions  and  other  special  needs.  •  H  by  the  dili- 
gent work  and  co-operation  of  such  committee,  an  average 
of  five  cents  a  day  per  communicant  was  secured  and  paid 
into  the  treasury  of  the  Lord,  there  would  be  a  total  sum  of 
$3,600.  If  at  first  they  did  not  quite  reach  the  mark,  another 
year  they  could  do  better,  and  so  on  until  the  desired  amount 
is  secured.  The  training  that  would  come  both  to  pastor 
and  workers  in  following  up  such  a  simple  plan  would  prove 
a  great  blessing  in  itself.  Then  again,  the  pastor  could  put 
in  his  best  work  in  the  weekly  conferences  with  the  commit- 
tee, and  through  each  committeeman  he  would  directly  and 


250  The  Afro-Am ericax  Group 

more  effectivel}-  touch  the  entire  congregation  on  the  practi- 
cal and  administrative  part  of  the  work.  The  success  of  the 
plan  would  eliminate  from  the  chancel  "begging"  and  "urg- 
ing." It  would  render  unnecessary  the  various  entertain- 
ments for  raising  Church  money,  whereby  the  wicked  one 
'^raises  the  devil  in  the  Church."  The  church  building  it- 
self would  more  and  more  truly  become  the  house  of  prayer. 
The  rendition  of  the  services  and  the  preaching  would  be- 
come glorious  and  full  of  power,  for,  with  the  heavy  burden 
of  raising  money  lifted  from  the  shoulders  of  the  pastor,  both 
body  and  soul  would  be  free  to  proclaim  with  power  the  ever 
lasting  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ. 

The  plan  is  not  only  simple  but  can  be  successfully  work- 
ed by  any  man  who  loves  God  more  than  he  loves  anything 
else.  But  no  plan  can  work  itself.  If  the  minister,  in  his 
heart,  would  rather  remain  a  parasite  he  is  thereby  unfitted 
for  working  a  plan  which  means  the  destruction  of  depen- 
dency. Our  Lord  says,  "Ask,  and  ye  shall  receive."  Any 
minister  who  asks  of  Him  wisdom  and  grace  to  successfully 
operate  such  a  simple  plan  for  His  glory,  will  certainly  re- 
ceive, that  his  joy  may  be  full. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

THE    FRUIT    OF    THE    SYSTEM AX    HEREDITARY    INFLUENCE 

Often,  in  the  past,  the  significant  silence  upon  the  part  of 
large  numbers  of  our  Southern  clergy,  with  respect  to  race 
affairs  generally,  but  more  especially  with  respect  to  policies 
of  the  Church,  in  work  among  our  group,  has  been  inter- 
preted by  colored  leaders  without,  as  a  necessary  enforced 
submission  on  their  part  demanded  by  the  authorities  of  the 
white  group  with  whom  they  are  associated.  A  great  many 
colored  people  seem  to  accept  and  believe  this  to  be  true. 

In  this  matter  we  are  not  disposed  to  defend  the  colored 
clergy.  The  record  they  have  made  must  give  forth  its  own 
Interpretation.  But,  so  far  as  such  attitude  being  forced 
upon  them  by  the  Bishops  and  other  white  persons  in  authori- 
ty, we  unqualifiedly  deny.  We  have  sustained  an  actual  ex- 
perience of  more  than  thirty-five  years  in  the  ministr\',  and 
even  before  we  entered  the  ministry  we  had  the  reputation  of 
being  outspoken  and  aggressive.  We  have  continued  such. 
In  view  of  the  same,  our  testimony  on  behalf  of  those  with 
whom  we  have  differed,  and  in  some  things,  radically  so, 
ought  to  have  weight  in  this  matter. 

When  the  author  left  Virginia  for  Maryland  in  1891, 
we  do  not  believe  that  any  colored  clergyman  of  the  Church 
up  to  that  time  laboring  in  that  State  had  ever  received  more 
liberal  financial  support  despite  the  fact  of  our  aggressive  and 
militant  attitude. 


252  The  Afro-American  Group 

Before  taking  charge  in  Norfolk,  Va.,  Bishop  Whittle 
wrote  to  each  of  the  white  rectors  in  that  city  commending 
the  author  and  requesting  from  each  rector  a  statement  of 
his  attitude  towards  the  colored  work.  All  of  the  replies 
were  exceedingly  pleasing.  The  vestries  of  two  of  the  w^hite 
parishes  of  that  city  pledged  one  half  of  the  stipend  upon 
which  the  author  commenced  work.  The  answers  to  Bishop 
AVhittle's  letters  w^re  all  turned  over  by  the  Bishop  to  the 
author,  and  he  now  has  them  in  possession. 

Instead  of  trying  to  suppress,  intimidate,  festraiu,  ^r  in 
any  way  interfere  with  the  plans  and  policies  of  this  author 
in  promoting  the  work  entrusted  to  him,  directly  the  oppo- 
site attitude  was  sustained  by  the  prominent  w^hite  laity  as 
well  as  by  the  clergy.  Our  friendship  and  intercourse  was 
genuine  and  sincere.  There  was  absolute  mutual  trust  and 
co-operation.  Whether  in  the  Norfolk  Convocation,  or  in 
those  many  informal  gatherings  in  the  study  of  Rev.  Dr. 
Lloyd,  in  the  midst  of  clouds  of  ascending  smoke,  there  was 
the  utmost  freedom  and  cordiality.  The  author  had  his 
view^point  upon  all  matters  discussed,  and  the  brethren  will 
certainly  bear  us  w^itness  that  there  w^as  no  hesitancy  upon 
our  part  in  clearly  stating  our  point  of  view. 

As  we  now  recall  those  early  days  of  our  ministry,  and 
remember  how  graciously  we  were  received  and  treated  by 
many  of  the  most  prominent  laymen  of  that  city,  we  marvel 
at  their  spontaneous  and  w^hole-hearted  generosity. 

After  we  had  erected  Grace  Church,  w^e  planned  to  build 
a  rectory.  The  lumber  merchant  with  whom  we  had  dealt 
in  the  erection  of  the  church  said  that  without  any  further 
security  than  our  word  we  could  secure  from  him  all  the 
material  desired.  We  called  to  see  our  warm  and  devoted 
friend,  Col.  Walter  H.  Tavlor,  who  had  acted  as  treasurer 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  253 

of  our  church  building  fund.  In  substance,  we  requested 
that  between  the  two,  Major  W.  W.  Old  and  himself,  one 
would  make  a  note  for  five  hundred  dollars,  the  other  indorse 
the  same,  and  the  money  thus  secured  turned  over  to  him,  as 
treasurer  for  disbursement  in  the  erection  of  the  rectory. 
The  material  being  provided  for  on  our  own  personal  promise 
we  needed  the  cash  to  pay  the  workmen.  Col.  Taylor  readily 
consented.  Only,  he  reminded  us  that  we  might  die  in  the 
meantime  or  leave  the  diocese;  and,  thus  some  proper  mem- 
oranda of  the  obligation  should  be  noted.  So  he  prepared  a 
paper  to  which  all  the  members  of  the  vestry  of  Grace 
Church  subscribed,  simply  recognizing  the  obligation  as  one 
to  be  paid  .  The  rectory  was  built  and  the  very  last  dollar 
on  it,  including  the  lumber  bill,  was  fully  paid  within  two 
months  from  its  completion;  although  at  the  time  it  was 
commenced  we  knew  not  from  what  source  the  funds  would 
be  obtained. 

The  late  Mr.  Joseph  Bryan  of  Richmond,  Va.,  was  one 
of  the  finest  types  of  noblemen  produced  by  Virginia.  He 
was  a  rich  man,  and  ever  active  in  doing  good,  and  every 
phase  of  the  colored  work  experienced  his  helpfulness.  He 
was  a  man  of  strong  convictions  and  resolute  in  the  expres- 
sion of  the  same.  He  differed  from  us  with  respect  to  the 
method  of  racial  adjustment  in  connection  with  the  diocesan 
Convention.  Occupying  the  floor  of  the  Convention  he 
pressed  his  side  with  all  of  his  powders.  We  got  the  floor  and 
most  earnestly  sought  to  break  the  force  of  what  he  had 
said.  And  this  was  more  than  once.  And,  yet,  he  ever  re- 
mained as  true  and  faithful  a  friend  as  ever  we  had  in  the 
State  of  Virginia.  The  very  year  we  left  Virginia  for  Mary- 
land, seeing  a  splendid  opportunity  for  a  new  work  in  Ports- 
mouth, Va.,  we  were  bold  enough  to  write  to  Mr.  Bryan  so- 
liciting him  to  build  the  church  outright  as  a  memorial.    His 


254  The  Afro-Am ericax  Group 

prompt  note  of  reply  will  give  an  intimation  of  the  man. 
Writing  us  under  date  of  June  27,  1891,  he  said:  "I  have 
yours  of  yesterday  and  must  say  that  you  present  your  case 
very  strongly,  and  I  feel  encouraged  to  believe  that  the  work 
you  are  engaged  in  will  not  suffer  for  want  of  ability  in  the 
workman.  I  can  not  at  this  time  comply  with  your  request, 
although  the  proposition  is  certainly  a  very  tempting  one, 
and  as  you  say  the  investment  w^ould  no  doubt  reap  a  rich 
reward,  but  I  have  lately  had  to  decline  a  great  many  very 
tempting  offers,  though  not  of  the  same  character,  and  this 
must  share  the  same  fate.  Without  making  any  promises  in 
the  matter,  I  feel  a  distinct  interest  in  the  work  you  propose 
and  believe  that  the  oportunity  is  a  good  one,  and  I  shall  be 
glad  upon  a  more  propitious  occasion  to  render  you  some 
help." 

A  few  months  later  we  removed  from  the  diocese,  hence 
did  not  follow  up  the  matter.  However,  in  the  difficult  work 
we  had  undertaken  in  Maryland,  he  never  failed  to  respond 
when  we  solicited  his  help. 

Capt.  J.  Barron  Hope,  editor  of  the  Norfolk  La?idmark, 
was  certainly  one  of  the  great  men  of  Virginia.  In  the 
Landmark  of  1890,  was  this  mention  of  the  author's  work: 
"Mr.  Bragg  is  doing  an  excellent  work  here  among  his  people 
and  has  the  confidence  of  all  our  citizens.  The  influence 
going  out  from  his  parish  to  the  people  of  his  race  in  this 
city  is  very  great  and  known  to  be  most  excellent  in  its 
character." 

At  the  same  period  in  a  letter  received  from  the  late 
Gen.  Samuel  C.  Armstrong,  were  these  weighty  words:  "I 
know  you  and  believe  in  you,  and  wish  you  every  success." 

We  were  the  same  individual  then  as  now,  only  more 
impetuous  then  because  of  youth ;  and,  yet,  we  never  discern- 
ed the  least  disposition  upon  the  part  of  the  white  people  in 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  255 

whose  life  we  lived  to  humiliate,  fetter  or  gag  us  with  respect 
to  an}'  manly  utterance  as  a  Christian  man  and  a  gentleman. 

The  daily  white  newspaper,  of  the  town  where  we  were 
brought  up,  in  writing  of  our  expected  ordination  to  the 
diaconate,  among  other  things  said  of  us,  "one  of  the  most 
intelligent  young  colored  men  in  this  city,  and  one  who  en- 
joys in  a  large  degree  the  respect  and  confidence  of  the  com- 
munity." And  Col.  R.  P.  Barham,  the  editor  of  that  paper 
(it  was  in  conenction  with  this  paper  we  got  our  first  lessons 
in  journalism)  was  ever  one  of  the  most  faithful  friends  the 
black  people  ever  had  in  that  section. 

Some  years  ago  one  of  the  best  and  truest  Bishops  in  the 
Southern  States  appointed  a  colored  priest  to  supervisory 
work.  A  number  of  years  afterwards  this  Bishop  confessed 
to  us  that  the  man  had  proven  far  from  being  a  success.  He 
failed  to  relieve  the  Bishop  of  many  minor  things,  not  to 
mention  others  of  weight.  The  man  was  genial,  kind  and 
well  educated.  But  he  was  deficient  in  the  knowedge  of  men, 
both  black  and  white.  In  such  an  office  it  is  not  enough  to 
know  colored  men ;  he  must  also  know  white  men. 

We  had  not  been  on  our  first  work  long  before  we  had 
the  services  of  the  best  physician  in  that  city.  It  was  not 
because  we  were  financially  able  to  command  such  services, 
but  because  we  had  become  so  well  known  among  the  high- 
est class  of  white  people  in  that  community  that  this  eminent 
physician  was  glad  to  display  his  interest  in  our  labors  by 
rendering  profesional  services  to  the  members  of  our  family 
free  of  all  charge.  On  coming  to  Baltimore  the  Hon.  Skip- 
with  Wilmer  placed  at  our  disposal  for  our  work  any  legal 
services  (free  of  charge)  of  his  firm  .  After  his  death  the 
same  was  true  of  Judge  Conway  W.  Sams  and  likewise  of 
the  Hon.  George  R.  Gaither.  If  one  reflects  inanity  and 
lack  of  ideas,  whether  black  or  white,  he  will  reap  according 


256  The  Afro-American  Group 

to  his  own  reflection.  If  our  men  have  failed  to  take  advan- 
tage of  the  friendliness  of  the  best  white  people  all  around 
them  and  remain  ciphers  in  activity  and  experience,  it  is  their 
own  fault.    No  one  has  kept  them  down  but  themselves. 

During  the  present  summer,  1922,  the  author  was  con- 
versing with  a  colored  priest  laboring  in  the  far  South.  He 
has  charge  of  two  missions,  the  combined  strength  of  which 
is  about  sixty  communicants.  In  the  w^ay  of  support  he  re- 
ceives two  thousand  dollars  a  year  and  his  house.  He  claims 
that  the  Bishop  and  the  white  people  generally  are  just  as 
nice  and  kind  as  they  can  be.  Why  is  he  not  accomplishing 
greater  results  with  such  substantial  support?  There  is  but 
one  answ^er.  The  system  under  which  he  operates  tends  to 
pauperize  instead  of  developing  self-respect.  The  fault  is  in 
the  system. 

Sixteen  hundred  dollars  of  his  stipend  comes  through  the 
Bishop,  and  only  four  hundred  from  the  people  served  by 
him.  As  long  as  human  nature  is  what  it  is,  why  should  he 
not  be  content  to  "mark  time,"  and  hold  on  to  a  good  thing 
as  long  as  it  lasts? 

If  it  be  true  that  a  number  of  our  colored  clergy  of  the 
South  have  no  views  of  their  own,  and  are  entirely  submis- 
sive, and  are  inclined  not  to  function  in  racial  affairs,  cer- 
tainly, neither  the  white  Bishops  or  white  laity  are  responsi- 
ble. Such  attitude  on  their  part  is  the  direct  and  logical 
fruit  of  the  system  under  which  they  operate. 

Human  nature  is  the  same  under  a  black  skin  as  it  is 
under  a  w^hite  covering.  The  colored  clergyman  who  re- 
ceives the  major  portion  of  his  salary  through  the  Bishop, 
who  finds  the  Bishop  rather  sympathetic,  and  not  over  exact- 
ing, is  not  the  man  to  enthuse  over  a  new  plan.  He  has  his, 
and  is  satisfied.  And,  besides,  he  can  enjoy  more  peace  and 
quiet  in  dealing  with  the  white  Bishop  than  in  dealing  with 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  257 

a  colored  vestry.  Having  a  good  thing  why  should  he  be 
anxious  to  give  it  up?  Under  the  present  system  he  simply 
can  not  "enthuse"  over  self-support.  Nor  is  he  going  to  do 
the  least  thing  which,  perchance,  may  effect  the  peaceful  and 
happy  relations  already  sustained. 
He  has  reached  his  Alabama. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

SOME   BLACK  MEX  OF   MARK 

"They  were,  as  a  rule,  studious,  earnest,  ambitious  men, 
whose  public  conduct — as  illustrated  by  Mr.  Revels  and  Mr. 
Bruce  in  the  Senate,  and  by  Mr.  Rapier,  Mr.  Lynch  and 
Mr.  Rainey  in  the  House — would  be  honorable  to  any  race. 
Coals  of  fire  were  heaped  on  the  heads  of  all  their  ene?nies 
when  the  colored  men  in  Congress  heartily  joined  in  remov- 
ing the  disabilities  of  those  who  had  before  been  their  op- 
pressors, and  who,  with  deep  regret,  be  it  said,  have  con- 
tinued to  treat  them  with  injustice  and  ignominy ;  and  so  far 
as  chivalry,  magnanimity ,  charity,  and  Christian  kindness 
were  involved,  the  colored  men  appeared  at  an  advantage." 
— Twenty  Years  of  Congress,  by  the  Hon  James  G.  Blaine, 
vol.  ii.  p.  515. 

One  of  these  five  distinguished  men  of  color,  the  Hon. 
John  R.  Lynch,  of  Chicago,  still  survives.  Major  Lynch  is 
a  Churchman.  At  one  time  he  was  Speaker  of  the  House  of 
Representatives  of  Mississippi.  He  was  a  member  of  Con- 
gress from  that  State  for  several  terms.  He  is  now  a  retired 
paymaster  of  the  United  States  Army,  and  resides  in  Chicago. 

Possibly  Hon.  Robert  Brown  Elliott  of  South  Carolina, 
was  the  most  learned  and  resourceful  black  man  that  ever 
occupied  a  seat  in  Congress.  Gen.  Benjamin  F.  Butler,  also 
a  member  of  Congress  at  the  time,  was  one  of  the  ablest 
constitutional  lawyers  of  his  day.     Gen.  Butler  paid  the  fol- 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  259 

lowing  tribute  to  ths  black  man.  FoUowng  him  the  next 
day  in  a  speech  on  a  certain  pending  bill  he  said : 

"I  should  have  considered  more  at  length  the  constitu- 
tional argument,  were  it  not  for  the  exhaustive  presentation 
by  the  gentleman  from  South  Carolina,  (Mr.  Elliott)  of 
the  law,  and  the  only  law  quoted  against  us  in  this  case  that 
has  been  cited,  to  wit,  the  Slaughter-House  cases.  He,  w^ith 
the  true  instinct  of  freedom,  with  a  grasp  of  mind  that  shows 
him  to  be  the  peer  of  any  man  on  this  floor,  be  he  who  he  may, 
has  given  the  full  strength  and  full  power  of  that  decision 
of  the  Supreme  Court." 

Blanche  K.  Bruce,  who  served  the  full  term  of  six  years 
as  a  United  States  Senator  from  the  State  of  Mississippi,  was 
born  in  Prince  Edward  county,  Va.  Two  very  brief  extracts 
from  one  of  Mr.  Bruce's  speeches  in  the  United  States  Sen- 
ate will  reveal  the  spirit  of  colored  public  leaders  in  the  days 
immediately  following  the  close  of  the  Civil  War. 

*'I  ask  Senators  to  believe  that  no  consideration  of  fear 
or  personal  danger  has  kept  us  quiet  and  forbearing  under 
the  provocations  and  wrongs  that  have  so  sorely  tried  our 
souls.  But  feeling  kindly  towards  our  white  fellow-citizens, 
appreciating  the  good  purposes  and  offices  of  the  better 
classes,  and,  above  all,  abhorring  war  of  races,  we  determined 
to  wait  until  such  time  as  an  appeal  to  the  good  sense  and 
justice  of  the  American  people  could  be  made." 

" The  unanimity  with  which  the  colored  voters 

act  with  a  party  is  not  referable  to  any  race  prejudice  on 
their  part.  On  the  contrary,  they  invite  the  political  co-op- 
eration of  their  white  brethren  ,and  vote  as  a  unit  because 
proscribed  as  such.  They  deprecate  the  establishment  of  the 
color-line  by  the  opposition,  not  only  because  the  act  is  un- 
wise, but  because  it  isolates  them  from  the  white  men  of  the 
South  and  forces  them,  in  sheer  self-protection,  and  against 


260  The  Afro-American  Group 

their  incHnatoin  to  act  seemingly  upon  the  basis  of  a  race 
prejudice  that  they  neither  respect  nor  entertain." 

Doubtless  what  Senator  Bruce  said  was  generally  true 
with  respect  to  the  South  as  a  whole.  But  certainly  there 
were  exceptions.  When  the  author  was  a  lad  about  eighteen 
years  of  age,  he  began  the  publication  of  a  weekly  newspaper 
The  Lancet.  We  still  have  the  bound  copies  of  that  paper. 
Bearing  on  this  very  point,  we  give  a  clipping  (which  was 
reproduced  in  The  Lancet)  from  the  Petersburg,  Va.,  Index- 
Appeal  of  February  19,  1883.  Col.  Barham,  editorially,  had 
this  to  say: 

"We  invite  attention  to  an  extract  in  another  column 
from  the  organ  of  the  colored  people  in  this  city — The 
Lancet.  We  are  glad  to  record  this  evidence  that  the  col- 
ored people  are  beginning  to  liberate  themselves  from  the 
fetters  of  prejudice  and  passion,  and  to  view  party  matters 
in  their  proper  light.  The  Lancet,  however,  is  mistaken 
when  it  assumes  that  the  Democratic  party  has  proscribed 
the  Negro.  The  history  of  the  party  in  this  city  contradicts 
the  assumption.  It  must  be  remembered  to  the  enduring 
<:redit  of  the  Democratic  party  that  it  first  threw  down  the 
barriers  of  the  color-line  in  politics,  and  elected  colored  men 
^o  the  Common  Council,  and  appointed  colored  men  on  the 
police  corps.  The  first  vote  the  writer  hereof  ever  cast  for 
a  Democratic  ticket,  on  which  was  the  name  of  a  colored 
man,  was  beaten  by  the  colored  people  themselves,  who, 
^ejecting  the  overtures  made  in  good  faith  by  the  Democra- 
tic party,  distinctively  and  defiantly  and  proscriptively  drew 
the  color-line,  and  arrayed  themselves  under  the  leadership 
of  men  who  were  aliens  in  blood,  in  sympathy  and  in  in- 
terests with  our  people,  and  who  simply  used  the  colored 
voters  for  their  own  ends." 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  261 

The  same  newspaper,  in  another  issue,  of  the  same 
period,  said  editorial!}': 

"We  have  given  our  opinion  as  to  the  date  at  which  a 
State  Convention,  if  held  at  all,  should  be  held,  and  have 
urged  that  the  call  for  such  Convention  should  be  broad  and 
comprehensive  enough  to  admit  by  representation,  and  on 
terms  of  perfect  equality,  every  man,  white  or  black,  Funder 
or  Re-Adjuster,  who  was  willing  to  work  and  vote  for 
Democratic  success  in  1884." 

Such  liberality  nearly  forty  years  ago?  But  the  Wade 
Hamptons  and  Lees  are  no  more! 

It  is  most  pleasing  to  give  forth  this  testimony  for  it  was 
in  connection  with  this  same  Index-Appeal,  when  only  six 
years  of  age.  that  we  started  out  as  an  errand  boy  for  Captain 
J.  Hampden  Chamberlayne,  at  that  time  editor  of  the  paper. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

CHARACTER    THE    GREAT   THING 

Some  years  ago  the  late  Rev.  Dr.  Alexander  Crummell, 
while  rector  of  St.  Lukes  Church,  Washington,  founded  the 
Negro  Academy,  of  which  he  was  the  president  during  his 
life  time.  Many  of  the  scholars,  authors  and  real  able  men 
of  the  race  constitute  this  organization.  During  the  year 
1898,  not  long  before  his  death,  Dr.  Crummell  delivered  an 
able  address  pertinent  to  the  very  times  in  which  w^e  live, 
which  we  herewith  present.     Dr.  Crummell  said : 

"Nothing  is  more  natural  than  the  anxieties  of  w^ronged 
and  degraded  people  concerning  the  steps  they  should  take 
to  rise  above  their  misfortunes  and  to  elevate  themselves. 
Thus  it  is  that  the  colored  people  in  meetings  and  conven- 
tions are  constantly  plied  with  the  schemes  their  public  speak- 
ers say  will  lift  them  up  to  higher  levels. 

1.  (a)  One  prominent  man  will  address  an  assemblage 
somewhat  in  this  manner: 

'The  only  way  to  destroy  the  prejudice  against  our  race 
is  to  become  rich.  If  you  have  money  the  white  man  will 
respect  you.  He  cares  more  for  the  almighty  dollar  than 
anything  else.  Wealth  then  is  the  only  thing  by  which  we 
can  overcome  the  caste-spirit.  Therefore,  I  say,  get  money; 
for  riches  are  our  only  salvation.' 

(b)  "Another  speaker  harrangues  his  audience  in  this 
manner : 

'Brethren,  education  is  the  only  way  to  overcome  our 
difficulties.      Send  your  children  to  school.     Give  them  all 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  263 

the  learning  you  can.  To  this  end  you  must  practice  great 
self-denial.  Send  them  to  college,  and  make  them  lawyers 
and  doctors.  Come  out  of  the  barbershops,  the  eating  houses 
and  the  kitchens,  and  get  into  the  professions;  and  thus  you 
will  command  respect  of  the  whites.' 

(c)  "But  now  starts  up  your  practical  orator.  His 
absorbing  fad  is  labor;  and  his  address  is  as  follows: 

'My  friends,  all  this  talk  about  learning,  all  this  call  for 
scholars,  and  lawyers  and  doctors  for  our  poor  people  is 
nonsense.  Industrialism  is  the  solution  of  the  whole  Negro 
problem.  The  black  man  must  learn  to  work.  We  must 
have  manual  labor  schools  for  the  race.  We  must  till  and 
farm,  ply  the  hoe  and  rake,  and  thus,  by  productive  labor 
overcome  inferior  conditions,  and  secure  strength  and  in- 
fluence.' 

(d)  "We  have  another  class  of  teachers  who  must  not 
be  passed  over.  Our  political  leaders  form  not  a  small  ele- 
ment in  the  life  of  our  people,  and  exert  no  petty  influence. 
In  fact,  they  are  the  most  demonstrative  of  all  classes;  and 
they  tell  us  most  positively  that  'in  a  democratic  system,  such 
as  we  are  living  under,  no  race  can  be  respected  unless  it 
can  get  political  influence,  and  hold  office.  Suffrage  is  the 
life  of  any  people,  and  it  is  their  right  to  share  in  the  offices 
of  the  land.  Our  people  can't  be  a  people  unless  their  lead- 
ing men  get  positions,  and  take  part  in  government.' 

2.  "Now,  it  would  be  folly  to  deny  the  importance  of 
these  expedients.  For  there  is  a  real  worth  w^hich  the  Al- 
mighty has  put  in  money,  in  letters  and  learning,  in  political 
franchises,  in  labor  and  the  fruits  of  labor.  These  are,  with- 
out doubt,  great  agents  and  instruments  in  human  civiliza- 
tion. 

"But  I  deny  that  either  of  them  can  gain  for  us  that 
elevation  which  is  our  great  and  pressing  want.     For  what 


264  The  Afro-American  Group 

we  need  as  a  race  is  an  elevation  which  does  something  more 
than  improve  our  temporal  circumstances,  or,  alters  our 
material  condition.  We  want  the  uplifting  of  our  humanity. 
We  must  have  the  enlargement  of  our  manhood. 

"Many  a  man  and  many  peoples,  laden  Vv^ith  riches  have 
gone  down  to  swift  destruction.  In  the  midst  of  the  grand- 
est civilization  many  a  nation  has  been  eaten  out  with  cor- 
ruption and  gone  headlong  to  ruin.  The  proudest  monar- 
chies and  the  most  boastful  democracies,  have  alike  gone 
down  to  grim  disaster. 

3.  "There  is  no  real  elevation  in  any  of  these  things. 
The  history  of  the  world  shows  that  the  true  elevation  of 
men  comes  from  living  forces. 

"But  money  is  not  a  living  force.  Farms  and  property 
are  not  living  forces ;  nor  yet  is  culture  of  itself,  nor  political 
franchises.  Those  only  are  living  forces  which  can  uplift 
the  souls  of  men  to  superiority — living  forces,  not  simply 
acting  upon  the  material  conditions  of  life,  but  permeating 
their  innermost  being;  and  moulding  the  invisible,  but  mighty 
powers  of  the  reason  and  the  will. 

"Now,  when  men  say  that  money  and  property  will 
elevate  our  people,  they  state  only  a  half  truth ;  for  wealth 
only  helps  to  elevate  the  man.  There  must  be  some  man- 
hood precedent  for  the  wealth  to  act  upon.  So  too  when 
they  declare  that  learning  or  politics  will  lift  up  the  race, 
they  give  us  but  a  half  truth. 

"These  all  are  simply  aids  and  assistances  to  something 
higher  and  nobler ;  which  both  goes  before  and  reaches  far 
beyond  them.  They  are,  rightly  used,  agencies  to  that  real 
elevation  which  is  essentially  an  inward  and  moral  process. 

"Don't  be  deceived  by  half  truths;  for  half  truths  lose, 
not  seldom,  the  fine  essence  of  real  truth,   and  so  becomes 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  265 

thorough  deceits.     Half  truths  are  oftimes  prodigious  errors. 
Half  truths  are  frequently  whole  lies. 

4.  "What  then  is  the  mighty  power  which  uplifts  the 
fallen?     It  is  Cowper  who  tells  us, 

'The  only  aramanthine  flower  is  Virtue; 
The  only  lasting  treasure.  Truth.' 

"But  what  does  the  poet  mean  by  these  simple  but  beau- 
tiful lines?  He  means  that  for  man,  for  societies,  for  races, 
for  nations,  the  one  living  and  abiding  thing  is  character. 

"Character  is  an  internal  quality ;  and  it  works  from  with- 
in, outward,  by  force  of  nature  and  divine  succours;  and  it 
uses  anything  and  all  things,  visible  and  invisible,  for  the 
growth  and  greatness  of  the  souls  of  men,  and  for  the  up- 
building of  society.  It  seizes  upon  money  and  property,  upon 
learning  and  power,  as  instruments  of  its  own  purposes;  and 
even  if  these  agencies  should  fail,  character  abides,  a  living 
and  a  lasting  thing. 

"It  is  character  which  is  the  great  condition  of  life;  char- 
acter is  the  spring  of  all  lawful  ambitions  and  the  stimulant 
to  all  rightful  aspirations;  character  is  the  criterion  of  mental 
growth ;  character  is  the  motive  power  of  enterprise  and  the 
basis  of  credit;  character  is  the  root  of  discipline  and  self- 
restraint  ;  character  is  the  consummate  flower  of  true  reli- 
gion ;  and  the  crowning  glory  of  civilization. 

3.  "I  am  asked,  perchance,  for  a  more  definite  meaning 
of  this  word  character.  My  answer  is  in  the  words  of  the 
Apostle,  St.  Paul :  'Whatsoever  things  are  true,  whatsoever 
things  are  honorable,  whatsoever  things  are  just,  whatsoever 
things  are  pure,  whatsoever  things  are  lovely,  whatsoever 
things  are  of  good  report,  if  there  be  any  virtue,  if  there  be 
any  praise,  think  on  these  things.'  These  are  the  elements 
of  character. 


266  The  Afro-Am ericax  Group 

"All  this  equally  applicable  to  a  man  or  a  community; 
for,  (a)  If  a  man  is  not  truthful  and  honorable,  just  and 
pure;  he  is  not  a  man  of  character.  If  a  family  in  a  neigh- 
borhood, father,  mother,  girls  and  sons,  are  truthless  and  dis- 
honorable, unjust  and  impure,  no  one  can  regard  them  as 
people  of  character.  Just  so  too  with  a  community,  with  a 
nation,  with  a  race.  If  it  is  destitute  of  these  grand  quali- 
ties, whatever  else  it  may  be,  whatever  else  it  may  have,  if 
it  is  devoid  of  character,  failure  for  it  is  a  certainty." 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

NEGRO  ORDINATIONS   FROM    1866   TO   THE   PRESENT 
1866. 

Peter  Williams  Cassey,  d.,  August  13,  Kip. 
Joseph  Sandford  Atwell,  d.  December  16,  Smith,  Ky. 
p.  May  7,  1869,  Johns. 

1869. 
Charles  Otis  Brady,  d.,  June  16,  John  Williams. 
N.  Joseph  Durant,  d.,  August  1,  Stevens. 
William  F.  Floyd,  M.  D.,  d.,  June  24,  Stevens,  p.,  1874  (xN. 
H.  for)  John  Williams. 

1871. 
W^illiam  H.  Wilf.on,  d.  Jan.  22,  Clarkson,  p.  1877,  Kerfoot. 
Joseph  Robert  Love,  M.  D.,  d.  January  29,  Young,  p.  1877, 

Coxe.     Deposed  by  Bishop  Holly. 
William  Henry  Josephus,  d,  June  23,  Stevens. 

1872. 
Henderson  Maclin,  d.  March  3.  Quintard. 

1873. 
William  Gaillard  McKinney,  d.  July  27,  Coxe. 
Prince  Tunison  Robers,  d.  Nov.  20,  Atkinson.        The  first 
ordination  in  North  Carolina. 

1874. 
George  H.  Jackson,  d.  May  13,  Green.     Deposed. 
James  E.  Thompson,  d.  May  29,  Robertson,  p.  1877.  Robert- 
son. 

1875. 
James  B.  McConnell,  d..  May — Quintard,     Deposed. 


268  The  Afro-American  Group 

William  Heuston  Morris,  D.  D.,  July  25,  d.  H.  Potter. 

Henry  L.  Phillips,  D.  D.,  d.  June  17,  Stevens,  p.  1876  Ste- 
vens. 

1876. 

George  A.  C.  Cooper,  d.  June  4,  Lyman. 

1877. 

Alfred  Augustus   Roberts,   d.   Feb.    11,   Pinckney,   p.    1879, 
Pinckney. 

Charles  H.  Thompson,  D.  D.,  d.  Nov.  18,  1877,  J.  P.  B. 
Wilmer,  p.  Nov.  18,  1879,  Wingfield  (for  La.) 

Peter  Andrew  Morgan,  d.  June  21,  Stevens,  p.   1879,  Ste- 
vens. 

1879. 

William  Augustus  Green,   d.   May  28,   Clarkson,  p.    1883, 
Clarkson. 

William  Cheshire,  d.  June  13,  Quintard. 

Joseph  G.  Bryant,  d.  June  19,  Stevens,  p.  1882,  Pinckney, 
Deposed,  not  affecting  his  moral  character. 

Charles  E.  Cummings,  d.  September  2,  Robertson,  p.  1882, 
Robertson. 

Thomas  White  Cain,   d.   December  21,  Whittle,   p.    1882, 
Whittle. 

1880. 

Cassius  M.  C.  Mason,  d.  September  26,  Robertson,  p.  1883, 
Robertson. 

1881. 
Thaddeus  Saltus,  d.  February  6,  W.  B.  W.  Howe. 
Ossian  Alston,  d.,  Quintard. 

John  W.  Perry,  d.  June  12,  Lyman,  p.  April  7,  1887,  Ly- 
man. 

1882. 
Osmund  St.  James,  d.  January  29,  Pinckney. 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  269 

Isaac  Edgar  Black,  d.  March  5,  Quintard,  deposed. 

James  Solomon  Russell,  d.  March  9,  Whittle,  p.  February 
7,  1887,  Whittle. 

Hutchens  C.  Bishop,  d.  April  24,  W.  C.  Doane,  p.  1883, 
W.  C.  Doane. 

William  Rufus  Harris,  d.  April  30,  Lyman,  p.  1884  Lyman. 

Hannibal  S.  Henderson,  d.  April  30,  Lyman,  p.  1884,  Ly- 
man. 

Joshua  B.  Hassiah,  d.  June  4,  Seymour,  p.  1883,  Seymour. 

John  Pallam  Williams,  D.  D.,  d.  June  22,  Lee,  p.    1883, 
Stevens. 

John   Benjamin  Williams,   d.   June  22,   Lee,  p.    1887,   Sey- 
mour. 

Paulus  Moort,  M.  D.,  d.  June  22,  Lee,  p.  1882,  Stevens. 

1883. 

Henry   Stephen   McDuftV,  d.  May   13,  Lyman,  p.  June  3, 

1888,  Lyman. 

Primus  Priss  Alston,  d.  May  13,  Lyman,  p.  June  26,  1892, 

Lyman.     . 
Edward  Hezekiah  Butler,  d.  May  13,  Lyman,  p.  April  13. 

1889,  Weed. 

Henry   ALason   Joseph,    d.    February   25,    Lyman,   p.    1884, 

Lyman. 
Alfred  R.  Anderson,  d.  September   10,  Quintard.  Deposed, 

1884. 
Thomas  G.   Harper,   d,  June   11,   Stevens,   p.   October  28, 

1885,  Starkey. 
Alfred  Constantine  Brown,  d.  June  11,  Stevens,  p.  June  2, 

1885,  xNiles. 

1885. 
Benjamin  W.  Timothy,  d.  June  20,  Robertson,  p.  July  11, 

1887,  Tuttle. 
William  E.  Howell,  d.  December  11,  Whittle. 


270  The  Afro-American  Group 

D.  Wilson  Taylor,  d.  December  11,  Whittle.     Deposed. 

John  Thomas  Harrison,  December  11,  Whittle. 

Joseph  W.  Carroll,  d.  December  11,  Whittle,  p.  1914,  Ran- 
dolph. 

1886. 

Freeman  W.  Dunn,  d.  June  3,  Lyman.     Di.  Aug.  15,  1892. 

William  Paterson  Burke,  d.  July  9,  Whittle,  p.   February 
13,  1890,  ,Whittle. 

Walter   Lewis   Burwell,   d.   July   9,   Whittle,   p.   April   26, 
1889,  Peterkin. 

George  Edward  Howell,  d.  July  9,  Whittle,  p.   December 
27,   1910,  Guerry. 

1887. 

George  Freeman  Bragg,  Jr.,  D.  D.,  d.  January  12,  Whit- 
tle, p.  December   19,    1888,  Whittle. 

George  G.   Middleton,   d.   June  4,  Adams    (for  Miss.)    p. 
January  8,  1896,  Hale. 

William  Victor  Tunnell,  d.  June  5,  Littlejohn,  p.  Decem- 
ber, 1887,  Littlejohn. 

Beverly  M.  Jefferson,  d.  June  9,  Whittle,  Di.  Dec.  27,  1887. 

Mark  R.  Nelson,  d.  June  9,  Whittle,  Di.  August  13,  1888. 

Layfayette  Winfield,  d.  June  9,  Whittle.     Deposed. 

Joseph  Silas  Quarles,  d.  September  23,  W.  B.  W.  Howe,,  p. 
October  7,  1903,  Capers. 

1888. 
Benjamin  Franklin  Lewis,  d.  June  20,  Randolph.    Deposed. 
Edward  N.  Hollings,  d.  December  21,  W.  B.  W.  Howe. 

p.  April  17,  1895,  Capers. 
John  Henry  Dixon,  M.  D.,  December  29,  Paret. 

1889. 
John  Alfred  Holly,  d.  March  17,  ,John  Williams. 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  271 

Henry  Baird  Delany,  d.  June  7,  Lyman,  p.  May  2,  1892, 
Lyman.  Consecrated  Bishop  Suffragan,  Novem- 
ber 21,   1918. 

Thomas  W.  Vaughan,  d.  June  30,  Whittle. 

Joseph  Fenner  Mitchell,  d.  June  30,  Whittle,  p.  July  5, 
1896,  Randolph. 

William  J.  Heritage,  d.  December  31,  Watson,  p.  October 
20,  1899,  Watson. 

1890. 

William  Montgomery  Jackson,  D.  D.,  d.  March  23,  Dudley, 
p.  January  15,  1893,  Dudley. 

John  Henry  Simons,  d.  June  1,  Whitaker,  p.  November 
17,  1891,  AtwiU. 

Benjamin  I.  Jack,  d.  June  13,  Tuttle,  p.  May  4,  1892,  At- 
will. 

John  Wesley   Johnson,   d.   June   20,   Whittle,   p.   June    19, 

1891,  Whittle. 

James  Thomas  Kennedy,  d.   September  7,  Lyman,  p.  June 

11,  1915,  Horner. 

Joseph  Alexander  Brown,  d.  December  3,  Whitaker,  p.  June 

12.  1892,  Whitaker. 

James  J.  N.  Thompson,  d.  December   14,  Gregg,  p.  May 

16,  1894,  Kinsolving. 
1891. 
William   Hiliary  Costen,  d.   January   18,  W.  A.   Leonard. 

Deposed,  May  14,  1894. 
Alfred   H.   Lealtad,   d.   May   24,   McClaren,   p.   May  31, 

1892,  McClaren. 

George  Frazier  Miller,  D.  D.,  d.  May  24,  W.  B.  W.  Howe, 

p.  June  24,  1892,  C.  K.  Nelson. 
Richard  Bright,  d.  May  24,  H.  C.  Potter,  p..  June  10,  1892, 

C.  K.  Nelson. 


272  The  Afro-American  Group 

John  Albert  Williams,  d.  June  11,  Worthington,  p.  October 

18,  1891,  Worthington. 
John  G.  Urling,  d.  November  8,  Dudley,  p.  June  20,  1894. 

Dudley.     Di.  April  26,  1895;  aged  73  years. 
1892. 
George  Walter  Honesty,  M.  D.,  d.  March  13,  Quintard,  p. 

June  4,  1894  Gailor.     Deposed. 
Henry  Alexander:  Saturnin  Hartley,  M.  D.,  d.  March  13, 
Quintard,  p.  October  14,  1892,  Quintard. 
Matthew  McDuffie,  d.   May  25,  Weed,  p.   September  26, 

1893.    Gray. 
Ferdinand   Meshack   Mann,   d.  June   8,   C.   K.   Nelson,   p. 

April  24,  1906,  C.  K.  Nelson. 
Owen  Meredith  Waller,  M.  D.,  d.  June  12,  H.  C.  Potter, 

p.  January  15,   1893,  H.  C.  Potter. 
Robert  Blair  Bruce,  d.  June  23,  Randolph.     Deposed   (Not 

effecting  his  character).     Became  a  Bishop  in  the 

A.  M.  E.  Zion  Church. 
David  D.  Moore,  d.  July  22,  Weed,  p.  1909,  Weed. 
Charles  L.   Simmons,  d.  November  21,   Randolph,  p.  July 

23,  1914,  Randolph. 

1893. 
Walter  Henry  Marshall,  d.  June  11,  Whitaker,  p.  Novem- 
ber 21,  1894,  Atwill. 
Maximo  Felix  Duty,  M.  D.,  D.  D.,  d.  June  11,  Whitaker, 

p.  December  23,  1894,  C.  K.  Nelson. 
Oscar   Lieber,   Mitchell,   d.   June   21,    Randolph,   p.    1894, 

Barker. 
Thomas  J.  Brown,  d.  June  25,  Thomas,  p.   1894,  Dudley. 
R.  A.  Smith,  d.  July  5,  Randolph.  .  Deposed. 
John  Randolph  Brooks,  d.  November  26,  Randolph,  p.  1898, 

Satterlee. 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  273 

Daniel  Ernest  Johnson.  D.  D..  d.  December  22,  Spaulding, 

p.  June  5,   1895.  Spaulding.     Deposed,  but  subse- 
quently  restored. 
Isaiah   Pinroy  Daniels,  d.   December  2*0,   Pierce,  p.  January 

25.  1896.  Pierce. 
John  Baptist  Macebo,  d.  December  31,  Capers,  p.  January 

13,   1907,  Knight. 

1894. 
Stephen  Decatur  Phillips,  d.  October  8,  Randolph,  p.  June 

1897.  Whitaker. 
John  C.  Dennis,  d.  October    8.  Randolph,  p.  July  24,  1898, 

Randolph.  1895. 

1895. 
A.  V.  C.  Cartier.  d. — Quintard.  p.   1895.  Quintard. 
James  Nelson   Deaver.  d.   May  9.   Gra\',  p.   November    11. 

1899.  Peterkin. 
Merritt  D.  Hinton.  d.  May  12,  Thompson.     Deposed. 
James  Edward  King.  d.  June  9.  Cheshire,  p.  June  9.   1904, 

Cheshire. 
Thomas  Burke  Bailey,  d.  June  9,  Cheshire. 
Eugene  Leon   Henderson,  d.  June  8.  Cheshire,   p.   October 

7.  1897,  Scarborough. 
Robert  Josias  Morgan,  d.  June  20,  Coleman  ;  deposed  ;  went 

abroad  and  was  made  a  priest  in  Greek  Church. 
1896. 
Alexander   Hamilton  McNeilll,  d.  January   19,  Dudley. 
Edmund   Robert  Bennett,  d.  May  31.   Nicholson,   p.    1896. 

Nicholson. 
George  Alexander  McGuire.  M.  D..  d.  June  29.  Vincent. 

p.    1897,  Vincent.     Founder  of  the  "African  Or- 

thordox  Church." 
Charles   Wesley    Brooks,   d.    September   6,    Paret,    p.    1897, 

Paret. 


274  Tut:  Afro-Americax  Group 

Edward   George  Clifton,   D.   D.,   d.,    December  20,    H.   C. 
Potter,  p.    1898,  H.  C.   Potter. 
1897. 

August  Ernet  Jensen,  d.  May  27,  Satterlee,  p.  June  24, 
1899,  Gray. 

Godfrey  Redfield  Jackson,  d.  May  27,  Satterlee. 

Benjamin  Wellington  Paxtcn,  May  27,  Satterlee.  p.  IVIay 
27,  1899,  Hale. 

Arthur  Goff  Coombs,  d.  September  12,  Walker,  p.  February 
6,   1900,  Gray. 

Franklyn  Abraham   Isaac  Bennett,   d.   October   31,   Capers, 
p.  November  30,  1898,  Capers. 
1898. 

Charles  Leon  Suthern,  d.  January  17,  Randolph. 

Jackson  Matthias  Mundy,  d.  February — Dudle}-,  p.  April 
2,  1905,  Woodcock. 

Edward  Thomas  Demby,  D.  D.,  d.  March  16.  Gailor,  p. 
May  8,  1899,  Gailor,  September  29,  1918,  in  All 
Saints  Church,  St.  Louis,  consecrated  Bishop  Suff- 
ragan of  the  diocese  of  Arkansas. 

John  Speight,  d.  September  11,  Weed,  p.  1915,  Weed. 

William  George  Avant,  d.  September  25,  Watson,  p.  Octo- 
ber 1899,  Watson.     Deposed. 

Charles  B.  Prichett,  d.  September  25,  Watson,  p.  Decem- 
ber 21,  1910,  F.  F.  Reese. 

Charles  Christopher  Cephas  Mapp,  d.  June  5,  Satterlee. 

William  Bryant  Perry,  d.  June  26,  Randolph.  Deposed 
June  28,  1901. 

Rev.  George  F.  Bragg,  Jr.,  D.  D.,  1425  McCulloh  Street, 
dolph. 

1899. 

Robert  Gordon,  d.  June  11,  Kinsolving,  p.  February,  1905, 
Johnston. 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  275 

Joseph  Emmanuel  Tucker,  M.  D.,  d.  July  9,  Whitaker,  p. 
1901,  Gray. 

George  Bundy,  M.  D.,  d.  July  9,  Vincent,  p.  July  3,  1900, 
Vincent.     Deposed. 

John  Belton  Brown,  d.  December  10,  Randolph,  p.  Decem- 
ber 20,  1915,  Darst. 

1900. 

Richard    Temple    Middleton,    d.    July    10,    Thompson,    p. 
October  12,  1903,  Bratton. 

Charles  Irwin  Smith,  d.  August  1,  Walker,  p.  December  21, 

1901,  Gray.     Deposed. 

Joseph  Wilberforce  Livingston,  d.  December  9,  Millspaugh, 
p.  May  8,  1902,  Millspaugh. 
1901. 

Thomas  George  Brown,  d.  June  2,  Whitaker,  p.  May  25, 

1902,  Mackay-Smith. 

Robert  Lee  Wilson,  d.  June  2,  Dudley,  p.  April  5,   1907, 

Woodcock. 
Robert   Davis   Brown,   d.  June   19,   Lawrence,  p.  June  21, 

1903,  Vincent. 

David    Richard    Wallace,    d.    July   6,    Anderson,    p.    1902, 

Gailor. 
Edward   Sherman  Willett,  d.  July  21,  J.  N.  Morrison,  p. 

February  6,  1902,  J.  N.  Morrison. 
1902. 
Everard  Washington  Daniel,  d.  May  25,  Worthington,  p. 

1903.  Edsall. 
Albert  Eustace  Day,  d.  May  25,  C.  K.  Nelson,  p.  December 

16,  1904,  C.  K.  Nelson. 
Natianiel    Peterson    Boyd,   d.    December   9,    Hunington,    p. 

December  18,  1904,  Burgess. 


276  TfiE  Afro-Am ERicAX  Group 

1903. 

Robert  Wellington  Bagnall,  d.  June  23,  Randolph,  p.  June 
6,  1905,  Randolph. 

Milton  Moran  Weston,  d.  June  23,  Randolph,  p.  December 
6,  1905,  Strange. 

David  LeRoy  Ferguson,  d.  June  28,  Vincent,  p.  January  1, 
1905,  Vincent. 

1904. 

Alfred  A.  St.  Clare  Moore,  d.  January  3,  Whitaker,  p.  May 
29,  1904,  Whitaker. 

Montraville  E.  Spatches,  d.  February  24,  Gray,  p.  Febru- 
ary 27,  1905,  Gray. 

Charles  H.  Male,  d.  February  26,  Cheshire,  p.  July  25, 
1905,  Cheshire. 

Emmett  Emanuel  Miller,  d.  February  27,  Gibson,  p.  Jan- 
uary 25,  1905,  Gibson. 

Arthur  W.  H.  Collier,  d.  May  29,  Satterlee. 

Julius  Robert  Coxe,  d.  June  12,  Francis.  Spent  all  of  his 
ministry  as  the  traveling  secretary  of  Dr.  Booker 
T.  Washington. 

Harry  Oscar  Bowles,  d.  July  17,  W.  A.  Leonard,  p.  July 
23,  1905,  W.  A.  Leonard. 

John  Richard  Logan,  D.  D.,  d.  Sept.  21,  Horner,  p.  Septem- 
ber 29,  1905,  Horner. 

Floarda  Howard,  d.  October  2,  R.  H.  Nelson,  p.  February 
3,  1907,  Coleman. 

Junius  L.  Taylor,  October  27,  Randolph,  p.  1906  Randolph. 

Robert  Henry  Tabb,  d.  October  27,  Randolph,  p.  August 
22,  1906,  Scarborough. 

Roger  Clinton  James,  d.  October  27,  Randolph,  p.  1907, 
Randolph. 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  277 

Charles  Louis  Somers,  d.  December  16,  Gibson,  p.  1906, 
Gibson. 

1905. 

Henr\-  Bartholomew  Brown,  d.  March  25,  Millspaugh,  p. 
January  25,   1906,  Millspaugh. 

Hubert  Ashtley  St.  A.  Parris,  M.  D.,  d.  June  6,  Gray,  p. 
February  24,  1906,  Gray. 

William  Burton  Suthern,  d.  June  18,  Darlington,  p.  June 
10,  1906,  Darlington. 

Samuel  Whitmore  Grice,  d.  August  22,  Capers,  p.  Septem- 
ber 19,  1906,  Capers. 

Robert  Nathaniel   Perry,  d.  August  20,  Cheshire,   p.   May 

19,  1907,  Cheshire. 

1906. 
Alonzo  Johnson,  d.  June  6,  Brewster,  p.  February  22,  1908, 

Brewster. 
David  Franklin  Taylor,  D.  D.,  d.  January  25,  Kinsolving, 

p.  January  4,  1911,  Kinsolving. 
John  Samuel  Simmons,  d.  June  6,  Brewster,  p.  November 

17,  1907,  C.  K.  Nelson. 
Edmund  Harrison  Oxley,  d.  June  10,  Satterlee,  p.  May  26, 

1907,  Satterlee. 
James  Henry  King,  d.  June  17,  Strange,  p.  December  22, 

1907,  Strange. 
William  Thurber  Wood,  d.  June  17,  Strange,  p.  December 

20,  1908,  Strange. 

J.  C.  VanLoo,  d.  October  18,  Satterlee,  p.  February  2,  1908, 
Satterlee. 

Edward  Douse,  d.  October  18,  Satterlee,  p.  November  1, 
1907,  Satterlee. 

William  Edward  Gilliam,  d.  December  9,  Randolph,  p.  Sep- 
tember 26,  1909,  W.  A.  Leonard. 


278  The  Afro-American  Group 

Robert  Bagnall,  d.  December  9,  Randolph,  p.  June  17,  1908, 
B.  D.  Tucker. 

1907. 
Earnest  Sydnor  Thomas,  d.  June  9,  Whitaker,  p.  June  7, 

1908,  Whitaker. 
Jesse  David  Lykes,  d.  September  18,  Guerry,  p.  October  4, 

1908,  Guerry. 

Henry  T.  Butler,  d.  April  3,  Randolph,  p.  October  24,  1915, 
B.  D.  Tucker. 

1908. 
Erasmus  Lafayette   Baskerville,   d.  January    19,   Burton,   p. 

December  21,  1908,  Burton. 
Jacob  R.  Jones,  d.  September  18,  Guerry,  p.  September  15, 

1909,  Guerry. 

John  Johosaphat  Pusey,  d.  May  28,  W.  M.  Brown. 
Walter  T.  Cleghorn,  d.  May  28,  W.  M.  Brown,  March  31, 

1909,  W.  M.  Brown. 
Augustus  C.  Roker,  d.  May  28,  W.  M.  Brown,  June   16, 

1915,  Thurston. 
W.  A.  Tucker,  d.  May  28,  Brown,  p.  April  10,  1910,  Wood- 
cock. 
George  E.  Benedict,  d.  June  7,  Whitaker. 
J.   DaCostia  Harewood,   d.  June   7,  Whitaker,  p.  June   6, 

1909,  Whitaker. 
Walter  D.  McClane.  d.  June  7,  Whitaker,  p.  June  6,  1909, 

Whitaker. 
W.  A.  S.  Wright,  d.  June  21,  Adams,  p.  June  6,   1909, 

Harding. 
John  Walter  Heritage,  d.  June  3,  Strange,  p.  July  17,  1910, 

Strange. 
C.   E.   F.   Boisson,  d.   June  7,   Ousborne,  p.   December   21, 

1909,  Bratton. 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  279 

George   Marshall   Flaskett,   d.  June — ,    Greer,   p.   ]\Iay   31, 

1909,  Lines. 

Andrew  Alaynard  Forsyth,  d.  October  1,  Weed,  p.  Febru- 
ary 14.  1912,  F.  F.  Reese. 

James  Frederick  Fortesque  Griffin,  d.  February  4,  Ran- 
dolph. 

1909. 

James  King  Satterwhite,  d.  June  28,  Cheshire,  p.  Septem- 
ber 7,  1910,  Cheshire. 

Robert  Josias  Johnson,  d.  June  28,  Cheshire,  p.  September 
7.    1910,  Cheshire. 

Sandy  Alonzo  Morgan,  d.  June  24,  Gibscm.  p.  December 
21,  1910,  Gibson. 

John  Henry  Scott,  d.  June  24.  Gibson,  p.  1^10,  Gibson. 

David  Jonathan  Lee,  d.  July  4,  Randolph,  p.  July  28,  1910, 
B.  D.  Tucker. 

Samuel  Alelville  Pitt,  d.  January  17,  C.  K.  Nelson. 

Joseph  M.  ALatthias,  d.  July  18,  Brooke,  p.  1912,  Brooke. 

William    /  lexander    Bruce,    d.    December    )9.    Fawcett,    p. 

1910,  Fawcett. 

1910. 
Edward  Newton   Peart,  d.  May  22,   Partridge,  p.  July    11, 

1911,  Greer. 

Robert  Zachariah  Johnstone,  d.  July  5,  Whitaker,  p.  June 

11,  1911,  ALackay-Smith. 
Ebenezer  Holman  Hamilton,  d.  July  29,  Randolph,  p.  May 

25.  1912,  B.  D.  Tucker. 
John  Taylor  Ogburn,  Ph.  D.,  d.  July  29,  Randolph,  p.  May 

25,  1912,  B.  D.  Tucker. 
Jc'n  Stewart-Braithwaite,  d.  De-^ember  9,  C.  K.  Nelson,  p. 

November  17,  1913,  C.  K.  Nelson. 


28C  The  Afro-Am hricax  Group 

J(;!ui  Brown  Klliott,  d.  December  27,  Guerry,  p.  1912 
Guerry. 

1911. 

William  Emmanuel  Hendricks,  d.  June  11,  Greer,  p.  Jan- 
uary 25,  1912,  Van  Buren. 

Arnold  Hamilton  Maloney,  d.  June  11,  Greer,  p.  July  4. 
1912,  Murray. 

Simeon  N.  Griffith,  d.  September  24,  Gravatt,  p.  1914,  Gra- 
vatt. 

1912. 

Samuel  Arthur  Emmanuel  Coleman,  d.  June  2,  Greer,   p., 

1912,  E.  E.  Reese. 

George  Gilbert  W^alker,  d.  June  2,  Greer,  p.  January    19, 

1913,  MiUspaugh. 

Frederick   Alexander    Garrett,    d.    June    2,    Rhinelander,    p. 

January  25,   1913,  Garland. 
Aubre\    Anson   Hewitt,  d.  June  5,   B.  D.   Tucker,   p.   May 

29,  1914,  Weed. 
Basil  Kent,  d.  Sept.  25,  B.  D.  Tucker. 
Herbert  William  Smith,  d.  Nov.  25,  Garland,  p.  Alarch  21. 

1914,  Vincent. 

Robert  I.  Johnson,  d.  Jan.  9,  Strange,  p.  May  19,  1915. 
Strange. 

Uriel  Eerdinand  Humphrries  Gunthrope,  d.,  Ma}-  18,  Greer, 
p.  June  ,   1914,  Greer. 

William  S.  McKinney,  d.  May  18.  Burgess,  p.  1917,  Bur- 
gess. 

Edward  G.  Jones,  d.  Ma  18,  Rhinelander,  p.  June  5,  1914, 

Colomore. 
Philip  M.  Prowell-Carrington,  d.  June  6,  B.  D.  Tucker,  p. 

June  3.   1914,  F.  F.  Reese. 


OF  TJiE  Episcopal  Ckurch  281 

1913 
Byron  E.  H.  Floyd,  d.  June  6,  B.  D.  Tucker,  p. 
Llmer  \1.   \l.  \Vright,  d.  June  6.   B.  D.  Tucker,  p.  June 

24,   1914,  Burton. 
Jcsephus  Macdonald,  d.  June  29,  Chesphire,  p.  May  9,  1915. 

Cheshire. 
Joseph  H.  Hudson,  d.  June  29,  Cheshire,  p-  Sept.  23,  1914. 

Cheshire. 
Daniel  E.  Johnson,  Jr..  d.  July  27,  Winchester,  p.  July  27, 

1914,  Winchester. 
Joseph  T.  Jeitre_\s,  d.  1913,  Gibson,  p.  1914,  Gibson. 
Henr\    Archibald   Swann,   d.   Dec.   21,    Burch,   p.    Dec.   21, 

1914,  Burch. 

Charles  Alcnzo  Harrison,  d.  Dec.  — ,  B.  D.  Tucker,  p.  1914, 

B.   D.  Tucker. 

1914 
Jcded'ah    Edmead,   d.   April    7,    Brooke,   p.   June   24,    1915. 

Brooke. 
Shelton    Hale   Bishop,   d.   June   7,   Greer,   p.   July  4,    1915, 

Ousbourne. 
John  X.  Samuels-Belbcder,  d.  June  7.  Greer,  p.  June  11. 

1915,  T.  L  Reese. 

E.  Irvin  Georges,  d.  1914,  Mann,  p.  1915,  Mann. 

/^.thanasius  Napoleon  Bonaparte  Boyd,  d.  December  10,  Gib- 
son, p.  Dec.  28,   1915,  Gibson. 
1915 

John  Randolph  Lewis,  d.  June  11.  Randolph,  p.  1916.  B.  D. 
Tucker. 
,     James  .-^.Ivin  Russell,  d.  June  11,  Randolph,  p.  1916,  B.  D. 
Tucker. 

Edgar  C.  Young,  d.  June  11,  Rhinelander,  p.  1916. 
Rhinelander. 


282  Thi-  Afro-Americax  Group 

St.  Julian  A.  Simpknis,  d.  June  27,  Guerry,  p.  June  28,  1916, 

Guerry. 
Charles  Sylvester  Sedgewick,  d.  Sept.  25,  Harding,  p.  June, 

1916,  Harding. 
Osmund  Henry  Brown,  d.  September  25,  Harding,  p. 

1916,  Harding. 

John  Henry  Brown,  d.  Sept.  29,  Weed,  p.  1917,  Weed. 
Ro}al  Sullivan  Hoagland,  d.  Dec.  19,  Harding. 

1916. 

George  V.  Fowler,  d.  June,  Harding,  p. 

D.  Redman   Clark,   d.  June    18,   Rhinelander,   p.   February 

2,  1917,  Garland. 
C.  Canterbury  Corbin,  d.  June  18,  Greer,  p.  1917,  Greer. 
Charles   L.   Emmanual,   d.   June    18,    Rhinelander,    p.   Feb- 
ruary 2,   1917,  Garland. 
Julian  C.  Perry,  d.  June  29,  Guerry,  p. 
N.  J.  Ward,  d.  June  29,  Mann. 
W.  A.  Gibson,  d.  June  29,  Mann. 
P.  George  Moore-Brown,  d.  September  29,  J.  D.  Perry,  p. 

1917,  J.  D.  Perry. 

1917. 
Charles  Conrad  Garfield  Howell,  d.  May  17,  Lawrence,  n. 

1918,  Lawrence. 

E.  Adolphus  Craig,  d.  June  23,  Greer,  p.  1917,  Sherwood. 
Meade  Burnette  Birchett,  d.  July  1,  B.  D.  Tucker,  p.  1918, 

B.  D.  Tucker. 
William  N.  Harper,  M.  D.,'d.  July  3,  Darst,  p.  1918,  Darsn 
Robert  A.  Jackson,  d.  July  8,  Gibson,  p.  1918,  Gibson. 
George  Alfred  Fisher,  d.   September  21,  Kinsman,   p.   Sep 

tember  27,   1918,  Rhinelander. 
A.  Thomas  Stokes,  d.  November  4,  Lines. 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  283 

1918. 

Harrj-  Ellsworth  Rahming,  d.  April  25,  J.  D.  Perry,  p. 

Frank  Norman  Fitzpatrick,  d.  June  2,  Harding,  p.  Decem- 
ber 23,  1918,  Demby. 

A.  Myron  Cochran,  d.  September  5,  Cheshire,  p.  December 
19,  1920,  Delany. 

Roger   Edgar   Bunn,   d.    September    15,   Cheshire,   p.    1921, 
Delany. 

G.   M.    Blackett,   d.    March   28,   Mann,   p.    December   22, 
Mann. 

1919. 

Charles  AVilliam  Nelson,  d.  January  1,  Matthews,  p.  1920, 
iVIatthews. 

John  Edwin  Culmer,  d.  August  31,   Mann,  p.   March  29, 
1920,  Mann. 

Elliott  E.  Durant,  d.  1919,  Rhinelander.  p.  1921,  Garland. 

1920. 

Claudius  Adolphus  Nero,  d.  February  29,  Delany,  p.  May 
22,   1921,  Delany. 

L.  M.  Graham,  d.  Harding. 

John  B.  Boyce,  d.  June  20.  Woodcock,  p.  February  27,  1921, 
Quinn. 

John  W.  Freeman,  d.  1919,  Harding,  p.  February  27,  Kin- 
solving. 

Thomas  D.  Brown,  d.  June  13,  Gibson,  p.  i\.Iarch  15,  1922, 
Brown. 

Harold  Foster-Percival,  d.  July  12,  J.  I.  Reese,  p.  February 
27,  1921,  T.  I.  Reese. 

Joseph  T.  McDuffie,  November  28.  B.  D.  Tucker. 

C.  E.  Green,  d.  September  8,  B.  D.  Tucker. 

James  A.  Johnson,  d.  September  17,  Beatty,  p.  1921,  Beatty. 

1921. 

Edward  Ellis,  d.  January  23,  Brown. 


284  The  Afro-Americax  Group 

Cornelius  R.  Dawson,  d.  May  5,  Murray,  p.  June  3,  1922, 

Murray. 
Louis  H.  Berry,  d.  July  4,  Williams. 
B.  Washington  Harris,  d.  December  18,  Delany. 
Q.  E.  Primo,  d.  March  29,  F.  F.  Reese,  p.  1922,  F.  F.  Reese. 

1922. 
Gustave  Hamilton  Caution,  d.  June  3,  Murray. 
John  Howard  Johnson,  d.  June  11,  Manning. 
Bernard  G.  Whitlock,  d. 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

CLERICAL  DIRECTORY 

Rt.  Rev.  Edward  Thomas  Demby.  D.  D.,  1852  Cnjss  Street, 

Little  Rock,  Ark. 
Rt.  Rev.   Henry  B.  Delany.  D.  D..   St.  Augustines  School, 

Raleigh,  N.  C. 

NEW  ENGLAND  PROVINCE 

Rev.  P.  George  Moore-Brown,  169  Lippitt  Street.  Provi- 
dence, R.  I. 

Rev.  Harr\  O.  Bowles,  26  Sperry  Street.  New  Haven.  Conn. 

Rev.  Osmond  H.  Brown,  148  Walnut  Street,  Hartford. 
Conn. 

Rev.  D.  LeRo\  Ferguson,  41  Warnock  Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

Rev.  Walter  D.  McClane,  38  Essex  Street.  Cambridge, 
Mass. 

NEW   YORK   AND   NEW   JERSEY   PROVINCE 

Rev.   Hutchens  C.   Bishop,   D.   D.,   217   W.    133rd   Street. 

Xew  York,  N.  Y. 
tRev.  Robert  W.  Bagnall,  70  5th  Avenue,  New  York,  N.  Y. 
Rev.  E.  George  Clifton,  D.  D.,  313  E.   157th  Street.  New 

York.  N.  Y. 
tRev.    Maximo   Felix   Duty,    M.   D.,   D.    D.,    New   York, 

2405  7th  Avenue. 
Rev.  John  W.  Johnson.   175  W.  63rd   Street,  New  York. 

N.  Y. 
Rev.  Jedediah  Edmead.  2101  Madison  Avenue,  New  York, 
N.  Y. 


286  The  Afro-American  Group 

Rev.  Flcarda  Howard,  27  W.  99th  Street,  New  York,  N.  Y. 
Rev.  John  Howard  Johnson,  175  W.  63rd  Street,  New  York. 
Rev.  H.  A.  McLean,  219  E.  127  Street,  New  York. 
tRev.  E.  N.  Peart,  867  E.  224th  Street,  New  York. 
Rev.  H.  A.  Swann,  212  W.  134th  Street,  New  York,  N.  Y. 
Rev.    Owen    M.    Waller,    M.    D.,    762    Herkeimer    Street, 

Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 
Rev.  M.  N.  Wilson,  206  E.  95th  Street,  New  York,  N.  Y. 
Rev.    George    F.    Miller,    D.    D.,    121    N.    Oxford    Street, 

Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 
Rev.  N.   Peterson  Boyd,  D.  D.,   1610  Dean  Street,   Brook- 
lyn, N.  Y. 
Rev.  C.  Garfield  Howell  725   Belmont  Avenue,  Brooklyn, 

N.  Y. 
Rev.  W.  S.  McKinney,  41  Grand  Street,  Jamaica,   (L.  I.) 

N.  Y. 
Rev.  F.  Wilcom  EUegor.  140  Warburton  Avenue,  Yonkers, 

N.  Y. 
Rev.  Edmund  R.  Bennett,   166  Goodall  Street,  Buffalo,  N. 

Y. 
Rev.  William  S.  Mackay,  411  Cedar  Street,  Syracuse,  N.  Y. 
tRev.  Arnold  H.  Maloney,  New  York. 

Rev.  Robert  Davis  Brown,  25  Orleans  St.,  Newark,  N.  J. 
Rev.   C.   Canterbury   Corbin,    114   Sylvan   Avenue,   Asbury 

Park,  N.  J. 
Rev.  James  N.  Deaver,   1709  Artie  Avenue,  Atlantic  Citv, 

N.J. 
Rev.  Frank  N.  Fitzpatrick,  Plainfield,  N.  J. 
Rev.  August  E.  Jensen,  93  Spring  Street,  Trenton,  N.  J. 
Rev.  Robert  A.  Jackson,  1137  S.  9th  Street,  Camden,  N.  J. 
Rev.  Robert  J.  Johnson,  267  Governor  St.,  Paterson,  N.  J. 
tRev.  T.  A.  Jones,  M.  D.,  265-a  Fairmount  Avenue,  Jer- 
sey City,  N.  J. 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  287 

Rev.  C.  W.  Nelson,   115  Liberty  Street,  Elizabeth,  X.  J. 
Rev.  George  M.  Plaskett,  30  Webster  Place.  Orange,  N.  J. 

WASHINGTON    PROVINCE 

Rev.  Richard  Bright,  2135  S.  58th  Street.  Philadelphai,  Pa. 
Rev.  A.  G.  Coombs,  612  N.  43rd  Street,  Philadelphia.  Pa. 
Rev.  Fred  A.  Garrett,  1932  Bainbridge  Street,  Philadelphia, 

Pa. 
Re\-.    J.    DcCostia    Harewood,    5615    Westminster    A\enue. 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 
Rev.   John   Richard   Logan,    D.    I).,    1408    S.    22nd    Street, 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 
Rev.   Henry   S.   McDuftV.   2010   x\.    17th   Street,    Philadel- 
phia, Pa. 
*Rev.  Henry  L.  Phillips,  D.  D.,  202  E.  Sharpnack  Street, 

Germantown,  Pa. 
Rov.  Robert  H.  Tabb,  620  S.  8th  Street.  Philadelphia,  Pa, 
Rev.  E.  S.  Thomas.  112  \\\  Rhittenhouse  St.,  Philadelphia. 

Pa. 
Rev.   Edgar   C.   \'oung,   5817    Filbert   Street,    Philadelphia, 

Pa. 
Rev.  George  F.  Bragg,  Ja.,  D.  D.,   1425  McCulloh  Street, 

Baltimore.  Md. 
tRev.  J.  W.  Livingston.  Springfiedl,  Aid. 
Rev.  Cornelius  R.  Dawson.  Cumberland,  Md. 
Rev.  Gustave  H.  Caution.   1211  Division  Street,  Baltimore, 

Md. 
Rev.  Scott  Wood,  D.  D.,  711  Anaheim  Street,   Pittsburgh, 

Pa. 
Rev.  Shelton  H.  Bishop,  Monticello.  Pittsburgh.  Pa. 
Rev.  W.  M.  Parchment,  603  Foster  Sreet,  Harrisburg.  Pa. 
Rev.  E.  A.  Craig.  Altoona.  Pa. 
Rev.  E.  E.  Durant,  Coatsville,  Pa. 


288  I'hh  Afro-Ami£rican  Group 

Rev.  Joseph   H.  Hudson,  Charles  Town,  West  Virginia. 

Rev.  William  V.  Tunnell,  2420  6th  Street,  Washington, 
D.  C. 

Rev.  Oscar  Lieber  Mitchell,  728  23rd  Street,  N.  W.,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. 

Rev.  Thomas  Jacob  Brown,  1411  Corcoran  Street,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. 

Rev.  F.  A.  I.  Bennett,  651  11th  Street,  N.  E.,  Washing- 
ton, D.  C. 

Rev.  A.  W.  H.  Collier,  1929  15th  Street,  N.  W.,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. 

Rev.  Edward  Douse,  Fort  Reno,  Teneleytown,  D.  C. 

Rev.  George  A.  Fisher,  So.  Capitol  and  L  Streets,  N.  W., 
Washington,  D.  C. 

Rev.  W.  M.  Jackson,  D.  D.,  506  Kastle  Street,  N.  E.,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. 

Rev.  John  W.  Freeman,  1262  Florida  Avenue,  N.  E.,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. 

Rev.  Linton  M.  Graham,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Rev.  J.  E.  G.  Small,  Croom,  Maryland. 

Rev.  M.  B.  Birchett,  Effingham  Street,  Portsmouth,  Va. 

Rev.  Henry  T.  Butler,  Lawrenceville,  Va. 

tRev.  A.  N.  B.  Boyd,  Berryville,  Va. 

Rev.  Joseph  W.  Carroll,  Bracey,  Va. 

Rev.  John  C.  Dennis,  Broadnax,  Va. 

Rev.  Byron  E.  H.  Floyd,  Houston,  Va. 

Rev.  C.  E.  Green,  Lawrenceville,  Va. 

Rev.  Samuel  W.  Grice,  Petersburg,  Va. 

"f'Rev.  John  Thomas  Harrison,  Totaro,  Va. 

Rev.  Ebenezer  H.  Hamilton,  Hampton,  Va. 

Rev.  Edward  Ellis,  416  Pearl  Street,  Charlottesville,  Va. 

Rev.  Basil  Kent,  Lunenburg,  Va. 

Rev.  Lorenzo  A.  King,  Alexandria,  Va. 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  289 

Rev.  David  Jonathan  Lee,  100  Kent  Street,  Norfolk,  Va. 

Rev.  Joseph  F.  Mitchell,  Berryville,  V^a. 

Rev.  E.  E.  Miller,  226  Halifax  Street,  Petersburg,  Va. 

Rev.  Joseph  T.  McDuffie,  Newport  News,  Va.,  2111  Mar- 
shall Avenue. 

*Rev.  James  S.  Russell,  D.  D.,  Lawrenceville,  Va. 

Rev.  James  Alvin  Russell,  Lawrenceville,  Va. 

Rev.  John  H.  Scott,  Millers  Tavern,  Va. 

Rev,  C.  L.  Somers,  Rectory,  Va. 

Rev.  Junius  L.  Taylor,  D.  D.,  506  St.  James  Street,  Rich- 
mond, Va. 

SEWAXEE   PROVINCE 

tRev.  T.  B.  Bailey,  Kinston.  N.  C. 

Rev.  J.  B.  Brown,  Washington,  N.  C. 

Rev.  R.  Edgar  Bunn,  Wilson,  N.  C. 

Rev.  A.  M.  Cochran,  Raleigh,  N.  C. 

Rev.  S.  N.  Griffith,  Edenton,  N.  C. 

tRev.  W.  J.  Heritage,  Edenton,  N.  C. 

Rev.  J.  W.  Heritage,  Fayetteville,  N.  C. 

Rev.  W.  N.  Harper,  M.  D.,  Belhaven,  N.  C. 

Rev.  J.  E.  Holder,  Kinston,  N.  C. 

Rev.  Eugene  L.  Henderson,  Durham,  N.  C. 

Rev.  Robert  L  Johnson,  New  Berne,  N.  C. 

tRev.  Roger  C,  James,  Durham,  N.  C. 

Rev.  James  E.  King,  Charlotte,  N.  C. 

Rev.  Jacob  R.  Jones,  i^sheville,  N.  C. 

*Rev.  James  T.  Kennedy,  Lincolton,  N.  C. 

Rev.  B.  Washington  Harris,  North  Carolina. 

tRev.  C.  A.  Nero  (New  York) 

Rev.  E.  S.  Willett,  Wilmington,  N.  C. 

Rev.  M.  M.  Weston,  Tarboro,  N.  C. 

tRev.  H.  A.  St.  Parris,  M.  D.,  Wilmington,  N.  C. 

*Rev.  Erasmus  L.  Baskervill,  54  Bogart  St.,  Charleston,  S.  C. 


290  The  Afro-Americax  Group 

Rev.  J.  B.  Elliott,  Columbia,  S.  C. 

Rev.  George  E.  Howell,  Summerville,  S.  C. 

Rev.  Charles  A.  Harrison,  18  Jasper  Street,  Charleston,  S.  C. 

Rev.  Julian  C.  Perr,v,  Sumter,  S.  C. 

Rev.  Robert  N.  Perry,  Columbia,  S.  C. 

Rev.  St.  Julian  A.  Simpkins,  Spartansburg,  S.  C. 

*Rev.  J.  H.  Brown,  422  W.  Bolton  Street,  Savannah,  Ga. 

*Rev.  E.  L.  Braithewaite,  Griffin,  Ga. 

Rev.  J.  Stewart  Braithewaite,  Savannah,  Ga. 

tRev.  E.  H.  Butler,  Pittsboro,  N.  C. 

Rev.  A.  M.  Forsyth,  Darien,  Ga. 

Rev.  Aubrey  A.  Hewitt,  Columbia,  Ga. 

Rev.  G.  R.  Jackson,  St.  Simon's  Mills  Ga. 

Rev.  P.  M.  A.  Prowell-Carrington,  Thomasville,  Ga. 

Rev.  C.  B.  Prichett,  Waycross,  Ga. 

tRev.  S.  A.  M.  Pitt. 

Rev.  Q.  E.  Primo,  Albany,  Ga. 

Rev.  Walter  H.  Marshall,  Fort  Valey,  Ga. 

Rev.  J.  R.  Lewis,  Brunswick,  Ga. 

Rev.  C.  E.  F.  Boisson,  Pensacola,  Fla. 

Rev.  G.  M.  Blackett,  Miami,  Fla. 

Rev.  J.  E.  Culmer,  Tampa,  Fla. 

Rev.  J.  S.  Simmons,  Cocoanut  Grove,  Fla. 

*Rev.  William  T.  Wood,  Palatka,  Fla. 

Rev.  John  R.  Brooks,  Mobile,  Ala. 

Rev.  Charles  W.  Brooks,  320  18th  Street,  S.  Birmingham.. 

Ala. 
Rev.  J.  T.  Jeffreys,  Jackson,  Miss. 
Rev.  S.  .Alonzo  Morgan,  Vicksburg,  Miss. 
Rev.  D.  F.  Taylor,   D.  D.,  2704  Carondelet  Street,   New 

Orleans,  La. 
Rev.  W.  A.  Bruce,  6th  and  Ewing  Avenue^  Nashville,  Tenn. 
Rev.  W.  W.  Cheshire,  Bolivar,  Tenn. 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  291 

Rev.  James  A.  Johnson,  Memphis,  Tenn. 
fRev.  J.  H.  King,  Keeling,  Tenn. 
Rev.  E.  E.  Hall,  Lexington.  Ky. 
Rev.  J.  \l.  Alundy,  Henderson,  Ky. 
Rev.  H.  F.  Percival,  Hopkinsville,  Ky. 

Rev.  George  G.  Walker,  11th  and  Walnut  Streets.  Louis- 
ville, Ky. 

MID-WEST  PROVINCE 

Rev,  Robert  Bagnall,  1012  City  Park  Avenue,  Toledo,  Ohio. 

Rev.  E.  H.  Oxley.  D.  D.,  728  W.  7th  Street.  Cincinnati, 
Ohio. 

Rev.  John  T.  Ogburn.  Ph.  D..  614  Parmelee  Street.  Youngs- 
town.  Ohio. 

Re\-.  H.  AV.  Smith,  647  E.  Spring  Street,  Columbus,  Ohio. 

Rev.  J.  N.  Samuels-Belboder,  Dayton,  Ohio. 

Rev.  William  B.  Suthern,  2169  E.  49th  Street,  Cleveland, 
Ohio. 

Rev.  Everad  W.  Daniel.  329  St.  Antoint  St,.  Detroit.  Mich. 

Rev.  E.  A.  Christian,  Henry  Avenue  and  Sherman  Street. 
Grand  Rapids,  Mich. 

Rev.  Charles  S.  Sedgewick,  6517  Firwood  Avenue,  Detroit, 
Mich. 

Rev.  Louis  H.  Berry,  Indianapolis,  Ind. 

Rev.  John  H.  Simons.  3632  Prairie  Avenue.  Chicago.  111. 

Rev.  Henry  B.  Brown.   1944  Ridge  Avenue.  Evanston.  111. 

Rev.  D.  E.  Johnson.  D.  D..  816  S.  15th  Street.  Springfield, 
111. 

Rev.  D.  E.  Johnson.  Jr..  Cairo.  111. 

NORTHWEST  PROVINCE 

Rev.  A.  H.  Lealtad,  465  Mackubin  Street,  St.  Paul,  Minn. 
Rev.  John  Albert  Williams,   1119  X.  21st  Street,   Omaha. 

Nebraska. 
Rev.  William  E.  Gilliam.  Colorado  Springs.  Colorado. 


292  The  Afro-Americax  Group 

Rev.  Harry  E.   Rahming,  2144  Humboldt  Street,   Denver, 
Colorado. 

SOUTHWEST  PROVINCE 

Rev.  D.  R.  Clark,  2931  Locust  Street,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Rev.    Montraville    E.    Spatches,    1023    Highland    Avenue, 

Kansas,  City,  Mo. 
Rev.  E.  M.  M.  Wright,  316  Stewart  Avenue,  Kansas  City, 

Kansas. 
Rev.   Thomas   D.    Brown,   407    Lindsay   Street,   Oklahoma 

City,  Oklahoma. 
Rev.   Augustus   C.    Roker,    645    S.    3rd    Street,    Muskogee, 

Oklahoma. 
Rev.  W.  E.  DeClaybrook,  Beaumont,  Texas. 
Rev.  J.  B.  Boyce,  Tyler,  Texas. 
Rev.  L.  C.  Dade,  Galveston,  Texas. 
Rev.  Bernard  G.  Whitlock,  Hot  Springs,  Ark. 

PACIFIC   PROVINCE 

Rev.  Walter  T.  Cleghorn,  1501  Essex  Street,  Los  Angeles, 

California. 
Rev.  David  R.  Wallace,  847  35th  Street,  Oakland,  Cal. 

*  Archdeacon 
t  Non-parochial 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

A  CLOSING  WORD. 

The  author  having  had  over  thirty-five  years  of  active 
ministerial  life,  with  some  little  success,  feels  that  it  is  per- 
mitted him  to  venture  a  word  of  advice  with  respect  to  fu- 
ture plans,  or  policies  for  work  in  Church  extension  among 
the  colored  people. 

The  regular  diocesan  system  should  obtain.  But,  in 
order  to  strengthen  it  and  promote  the  most  harmonious  re- 
lations, there  should  be  a  temporary  alternative  plan  which 
may  be  employed  instead  of  the  normal  system.  The  admin- 
istrative and  supreme  authority  of  this  plan,  (under  the 
House  of  Bishops)  should  be  the  diocesan  Bishops  concerned, 
together  with  the  Missionary  Bishop,  the  native  head  of  the 
group.  Under  no  circumstances  should  this  vital  part  of 
the  Missionary  District  plan  be  dispensed  with.  Absolute 
harmony  and  cooperation  are  indispensable.  Any  right- 
minded  Negro  Bishop  capable  of  leading  and  performing 
constructive  work  would  rejoice  in  having  the  diocesan  Bish- 
ops share  in  the  work  to  such  an  extent.  In  fact,  we  do  not 
see  how  he  could  hope  to  attain  large  success  in  any  other 
w^ay. 

Booker  Washington  was  the  honored  principal  of  Tuske- 
gee;  but  he  had  a  wise  and  able  board  of  directors.  General 
Samuel  C.  Armstrong  was  the  head  of  the  Hampton  Insti- 
tute, but  he  had  one  of  the  ablest  corps  of  men  in  this  coun- 
try to  uphold  him.  General  Armstrong  studied  so  thoroughly 


294  Thi-  Afro-Am ericax  Group 

well  the  various  projects  he  had  in  mind,  and  made  such  n 
clear  analysis  of  them,  that  when  presenting  them  before  the 
board  he  seldom  failed  to  carry  through  a  single  plan. 

'I'he  same  thing  would  be  true  in  the  matter  now  under 
consideration  if  there  were  an  Advisory  Beard  with  power, 
and  a  real  constructive  Negro  as  Missionary  Bishop.  But 
such  a  Bshop  must  be  chosen  with  respect  to  real  ability,  and 
not  chiefly  because  he  is  "a  good  and  safe  Negro." 

The  vestry  system  as  applied  to  our  work,  in  most  cases, 
has  proven  worse  than  a  failure.  It  needs  remedying.  A 
training  in  the  work  must  be  given  to  most  of  the  men  which 
they  did  not  and  could  not  receive  at  the  seminaries.  Many 
practical  agencies  should  be  introduced  and  vigorously 
pushed.  All  such,  and  more,  are  possible  in  a  Missionary 
District  with  a  Negro  Bishop,  having  the  supervision  and 
cooperation  of  the  diocesan  Bishops  Vvithin  his  district. 

The  fight  has  never  been  to  get  from  under  the  white 
Bishops.  Jt  has  always  been  the  other  way.  The  fight  has 
been  to  rid  the  work  of  the  dominance  of  diocesan  Conven- 
tions, and  place  the  Bishops  in  actual  control,  and  thus,  have 
a  genuine  Episcopal  Church  among  Negroes,  and  not  one 
Episcopal  in  name  but  congregational  in  practice. 

The  late  Dr.  Booker  T.  Washington,  was  in  thorough 
sympathy  with  the  IMissionary  District  plan  as  applied  to  our 
Church.  In  his  "Story  of  the  Negro,"  Dr.  Washington 
says : 

"In  my  opinion,  there  is  no  other  place  in  which  the  Ne- 
gro race  can  to  better  advantage  begin  to  learn  the  lessons 
of  self-direction  and  self-control  than  in  the  Negro  Church. 
I  say  this  for  the  reason  that  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  other 
interests  have  from  time  to  time  found  shelter  there,  the 
chief  aim  of  the  Negro  Church,  as  of  other  branches  of  the 
Christian  Church,  has  been  to  teach  its  members  the  funda- 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  295 

mental  things  of  life  and  create  in  them  a  desire  and  enthu- 
siasm for  a  higher  and  better  existence  here  and  hereafter. 
More  than  that,  the  struggle  of  the  masses  of  the  people  to 
support  these  churches  and  to  purify  their  own  social  life, 
making  it  clean  and  wholesome,  is  itself  a  kind  of  moral  dis- 
cipline and  one  that  Negroes  need  quite  as  much  as  other 
people.  In  fact,  1  doubt  if  there  is  any  other  way  in  which 
the  lessons  that  Christianity  is  seeking  everywhere  to  enforce, 
could  be  brought  home  to  the  masses  of  the  Negro  people 
in  so  thorough-going  a  way  as  through  their  own  societies, 
controlled  and  directed  by  the  members  of  their  own  race." 

There  never  was  a  more  glorious  day  destined  for  any 
group  of  people  than  that  awaiting  the  black  race,  the  world 
over.  That  which  men  believe  utterly  impossible  will  be  ful- 
filled. It  is  the  voice  from  on  high  declaring  to  the  black 
race,  'Though  ye  have  lain  among  the  pots,  yet  shall  ye  be 
as  the  wings  of  a  dove :  that  is  covered  with  silver  wings 
and  her  feathers  like  gold."  The  "wings  of  a  dove"  bring  to 
us  the  sure  truth  of  escape,  while  the  "silver  and  "gold"  imply 
prosperity  and  felicity.  In  the  darkest  hour  of  our  sojourn 
in  the  American  house  of  bondage  'among  the  pots,'  did  the 
Almighty  interpret  this  vision  through  our  fellows,  who, 
making  their  escape,  in  their  own  personalites  foreshadow 
the  high  destiny  of  their  group.  In  the  glorious  future  for 
which  the  black  race  is  being  prepared  its  dominant  note  will 
be  as  expressed  in  these  immortal  words  of  Toussant  L'Ou- 
verture  in  his  French  prison,  on  the  eve  of  his  death : 

"Therefore  may  we  hope  that  in  this  race  will  the  spirit 
of  Christianity  appear  more  fully  than  it  has  yet  shown  itself 
among  the  proud  whites;  show  itself  in  its  gentleness,  its 
fidelity,  its  disinteredness  and  its  simple  trust.  The  proud 
w^hites  may  scorn  this  hope,  and  point  to  the  ignorance  and 
passions  of  my  people,  and  say,  'Is  this  your  exhibition  of  the 


296  The  Afro-American  Group 

spirit  of  the  Gospel?'  But  not  for  this  will  we  give  up  this 
hope.  This  ignorance,  these  passions  are  natural  to  all  men, 
and  are  in  us  aggravated  and  protracted  b}-  our  slavery.  Re- 
move them  by  the  discipline  and  stimulus  of  freedom,  begun 
in  obedience  to  God  and  fidelity  to  all  men,  and  there  re- 
mains the  love  that  embraces  all ;  the  meek  faith  that  can 
bear  to  be  betrayed,  but  is  ashamed  to  doubt;  the  generosity 
that  can  forgive  severe  offenses — and  seven  times  renewed ; 
the  simple,  open,  joyous  spirit  which  marks  such  as  are  of 
the  Kingdom  of  Heaven." 

It  was  that  little  American  boy  whom  God  raised  up 
from  "among  the  pots"  as  utterly  destitute  and  without 
hope  as  has  ever  characterized  any  human  being,  Frederick 
Douglass,  who,  in  his  person,  revealed  the  true  destiny  of  the 
black  man  in  giving  the  highest  possible  interpretation  to  the 
Law  of  Love,  for  the  benefit  of  the  whole  human  brother- 
hood. In  an  address  delivered  by  Mr.  Douglass  in  Decem- 
ber, 1890.  among  other  things,  he  said: 

"I  have  seen  dark  hours  in  my  life,  and  I  have  seen  the 
darkness  gradually  disappearing,  and  the  light  gradually  in- 
creasing. One  by  one,  I  have  seen  the  obstacles  removed, 
errors  corrected,  prejudices  softened,  proscriptions  relin- 
quished, and  my  people  advancing  in  all  the  elements  that 
make  up  the  sum  of  general  welfare.  I  remember  that  God 
reigns  in  eternity  and  that,  whatever  delays,  disappointments 
and  discouragements  may  come,  truth,  justice,  liberty  and 
humanity  will  prevail." 

Long  before  the  Civil  War,  when  Mr.  Douglass  was  in 
the  field  striking  hard  blows  against  slavery,  in  imitation  of 
the  white  clergy  who  used  to  preach  to  the  slaves  from  the 
text,  "Servants,  Obey  Your  Masters,"  he  attracted  unusual 
attention  by  his  solid  thrusts  in  that  direction.  By  many 
literary  critics   this  special   effort  was  pronounced   the   best 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  297 

piece  of  satire  in  the  English  language.  A  few  years  before 
the  death  of  Mr.  Douglass,  Elizabeth  Cady  Stanton,  visited 
him  in  home  at  Anacostia.,  Md.  Quoting  Mrs.  Stanton:  "1 
asked  him  if  he  ever  had  the  sermon  printed.  He  said  'No.' 
Could  you  reproduce  it,  said  I.  He  said,  'No;  I  could  not 
bring  back  the  old  feeling  if  I  tried,  and  I  would  not  if  I 
could.  The  blessings  of  liberty  I  have  so  long  enjoyed,  and 
the  many  tender  friendships  I  have  with  the  Saxon  race  on 
both  sides  of  the  ocean,  have  taught  me  such  sweet  lessons 
of  forgiveness  that  the  painful  memories  of  my  early  days  are 
almost  obliterated,  and  I  would  not  recall  them." 

And,  when  Douglass  thus  spoke,  he  portrayed  the  whole 
black  race  that  shall  be  when  Christianity  has  wrought  a 
complete  transformation. 

Note  :  In  the  list  of  Ordinations  "d."  is  for  deacon  and 
"p."  is  for  priest.  The  date  of  ordination  to  the  priesthood 
of  several  is  not  given  for  we  failed  to  find  records  of  the 
same  in  the  official  list  of  the  General  Convention. 

On  page  208,  the  second  line  of  the  sketch  should  read: 
"January  9,   1815.     He  entered  into  rest  eternal,  October" 


APPENDICES 
APPENDIX  ONE. 

BISHOP   PARET  AND  THE   AFRICAX    METHODISTS 

The  author  will  forever  hold  in  special  honor  and  rev- 
erence the  memory  of  the  late  Rt.  Rev.  Dr.  William  Paret, 
Bishop  of  Maryland.  We  hoped  to  have  begun  our  ministry 
in  the  diocese  of  Maryland,  and  had  been  recommended  most 
strongly,  indeed,  by  the  late  Bishop  Whittle  of  Virginia.  We 
had  made  arrangements  to  that  end ;  and  lo,  we  were  denied 
that  privilege  because  Bishop  Paret  would  not  consent  to 
our  coming  into  his  diocese.  He  had  been  mislead.  He  had 
been  impressed  by  one  from  whom  he  sought  knowledge  of 
us  that  we  were  a  "mischief  maker."  iVIany  years  afterwards, 
when  the  Bishop  had  reason  for  believing  that  the  extent  of 
our  "mischief  making,"  was  nothing  other  than  a  resolute 
courage  in  expressing  our  own  convictions,  he  put  forth 
strenuous  and  earnest  efforts  to  have  us  acept  work  in  his 
diocese.  The  sincerity  of  his  change  of  mind  evinced  itself 
in  the  unusual  fact  of  assuming  our  entire  support  and  that 
at  a  rate  of  several  hundred  dollars  beyond  any  allowance 
he  had  hitherto  made  to  that  work. 

And,  although  the  good  Bishop  radically  differed  from 
us  with  respect  to  our  great  contention,  in  adjustment  of 
the  Historic  Episcopate,  we  always,  to  the  end,  remained  the 
warmest  and  closest  friends.  Most  frequently  did  the  Bish- 
op take  counsel  with  us  with  respect  to  various  aspects  of  the 
colored  work.  Before  the  creation  of  the  diocese  of  Wash- 
ington, he  had  about  decided,  while  permitting  us  to  retain 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  29Q 

our  rectorship,  to  appoint  us  his  Archdeacon  for  the  colored 
work.  But  the  diocese  being  divided,  and  the  volume  of  col- 
ored work  being  in  the  diocese  of  Washington,  the  plan  did 
not  obtain.  We  understood  most  thoroughly  the  opposition 
of  Bishop  Paret  to  the  scheme  of  racial  Bishops.  It  was 
absolutely  and  entirely  a  matter  of  principle.  Between  the 
Suffragan  Episcopate  and  the  Missionary  he  never  once  hesi- 
tated to  express  a  preference  for  the  Missionary.  But  he 
was  against  both,  for  he  thoroughly  believed  in  a  diocesan 
Convention  without  any  "color  line"  and  he  had  both  the 
courage  and  the  vigor  to  maintain  his  position. 

Possibh"  no  other  Bishop  in  the  American  Church,  from 
its  birth  until  now,  enjo\ed  the  distinction  of  meeting  in 
friendly  conference  all  the  Bishops  of  the  African  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  Bishop  Paret  readily  and  cheerfully  act- 
ed upon  our  suggesticni,  and  we  had  the  high  privilege  of 
bearing  his  gracious  invitaton  to  our  warm  friend,  the  late 
Bishop  Turner,  then  Senior  Bishop  of  his  church.  We  ac- 
companied them  to  the  Episcopal  Residence  and  presented 
ea:h  to  the  Bishop  of  Maryland.  Sometime  afterwards  in 
The  Spirit  of  Missions  for  May,  1897,  Bishop  Paret  gave 
forth  an  account  of  that  meeting,  and  the  impressions  made 
upon  him.  It  was  not,  however,  the  General  Conference 
meeting  at  that  time,  but  simply  the  annual  meeting  of  the 
Bishops  of  that  church.  Here  is  what  Bishop  Paret  said  about 
the  African  Methodists: 

"Some  two  years  ago  the  General  Conference  of  the  body 
known  as  the  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  hold- 
ing its  triennial  session  in  the  city  of  Baltimore.  Although  I 
wanted  much  to  learn  what  their  organization  and  their 
work  were,  mportant  duties  of  my  own  made  it  impossible 
for  me  to  be  present  at  their  sessions;  but  I  sent  a  note  to 


300  The  Afro-American  Group 

their  presiding  officer,  Bishop  Turner,  asking  an  opportunity 
tQ  become  acquainted,  and  he  named  a  time  when  their 
Bishops  would  call  upon  me.  They  came  to  my  house,  seven 
in  number,  and  we  had  a  very  pleasant  and  profitable  inter- 
view of  some  two  hours'  duration. 

"I  was  soon  convinced  that  these  were  strong  men — men 
fitted  to  be  leaders,  and  really  leading  strongly  and  wisely. 
Some,  I  am  sure,  were  thoroughly  educated,  whether  all  were 
I  cannot  say;  but  if  not,  natural  qualities  and  experience  had 
been  well  used.  Their  presiding  Bishop,  Turner,  began  the 
conversation  by  telling  me  that  he  learned  his  first  Latin  and 
Greek,  and  his  love  for  the  Church  which  he  had  never  lost 
in  the  very  room  where  we  were  sitting,  from  the  lips  of 
Bishop  Whittingham,  and  the  whole  conversation  proved 
clearly  on  the  part  of  almost  all  the  seven,  a  kindly  and  loving 
appreciation  of  our  own  national  branch  of  the  Church,  and 
a  readiness  for  kindly  relations  with  it. 

"I  cannot  give  details,  because  I  counted  much  of  what 
was  said  on  both  sides  confidential.  They  talked  freely  and 
fully  on  all  points,  begging  me  to  ask  questions,  and  when 
any  special  point  was  raised,  Bishop  Turner  immediately  re- 
ferred it  to  the  one  whom  he  thought  specially  fitted  to  an- 
swer. The  extent  of  their  work,  their  organization,  their 
financial  methods,  their  ordinations,  the  training  and  edu- 
cation of  their  candidates,  the  powers  and  duties  of  their 
Bishops,  their  methods  of  worship,  the  morality  and  spirit- 
ual character  of  their  people,  their  educational  institutions — 
all  these  were  explained. 

"The  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  is  a  powerful 
body.  It  numbers  more  communicants  in  the  United  States 
than  our  own  National  Church,  and  has  many  more  who 
have  received  its  ordinations ;  and  it  has  its  missions  in  Africa, 
and  at  other  points  beyond  the  national  limts.     Its  organiza- 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  301 

tfon  is  strong,  wise  (humanly  speaking),  and  efficient..  The 
Bshops  being  few  in  number  (but  eleven  or  twelve,  I  think, 
when  their  number  is  full),  have  each  a  district  as  large  as 
six  or  seven  of  our  dioceses,  which  they  are  able  to  administer 
by  the  effective  help  of  the  presiding  elders,  and  their  over- 
sight seems  very  thorough  and  strong.  As  they  tell  it,  they 
have  many  preachers  and  exhorters,  unordained  and  with 
imperfect  qualifications,  lay  preachers;  but  they  claim  to 
hold  a  high  standard  of  preparation  for  their  priesthood,  and 
to  keep  men  relentlessly  in  their  diaconate  until  they  are  fully 
qualified.  They  set  forth  a  liturgy  nearly  following  Wes- 
ley's Prayer  Book,  and  they  are  pushing  its  use  in  congrega- 
tions as  they  find  the  people  fitted  for  it.  Their  educational 
system  is  remarkable.  They  keep  up  not  only  schools  and 
high  schools;  but  each  Episcopal  district  is  expected  to  have 
its  college  or  university,  and  some  of  them,  like  the  Wilber- 
force  College,  in  Ohio,  are  well  equipped  and  effective;  and 
to  sustain  these,  besides  one  dollar  a  year  which  they  request 
from  each  member  for  the  general  expenses  of  the  church  they 
require  from  each,  as  a  duty,  one  dollar  for  their  educa- 
tional work.  Of  course,  they  do  not  receive  it  from  all  of 
their  six  or  seven  hundred  thousand,  but  they  gave  me  to 
understand  that  at  least  half  of  them  do  contribute.  And 
this  leads  to  that  wonderful  fact  that  this  great  organization 
of  colored  people  is  entirely  self-supporting,  receiving  no 
money  help  at  all  from  the  whites. 

"In  comparing  their  great  work  and  results  among  the 
colored  people  with  ours,  so  puny,  humanly  speaking,  in  com- 
parison, I  asked  w^hether  they  could  see  any  reason  for  the 
difference,  and  their  answer  was  that  we  were  pauperizing 
those  to  whom  we  ministered,  while  they  were  building  up 
their  Christian  self-respect.  They  asserted  that  there  was 
no  need  that  we  should  keep  up  such  continual  missionary 


302  Thk  Afro-Am hricax  Group 

support,  that  it  was  wise  and  well  to  use  missionary  money 
freely  on  opening  new  fields  and  fresh  enterprises,  but  that 
every  new  congregation  should  be,  from  the  beginning, 
pushed  rapidly  into  self-support  and  helping  others.  They 
ridiculed  the  idea  that  the  Negroes,  even  the  poorest,  could 
not  give.     The\'  had  proved  the  contrary  thoroughly. 

"I  am  sure  that  in  this  they  have  touched  one  of  our 
great  defects;  but  it  is  easier  to  see  it  than  to  find  and  applv 
the  remedy.  As  a  result  of  the  interview^  I  am  wishing  and 
praying,  more  and  more,  that  in  some  wa}'  by  God's  good 
providence  a  path  might  be  opened  for  closer  understanding 
and  kindly  co-operation  between  that  strong  Christian  body 
and  ourselves.     Can  it  ever  be? 

"WiLiAM  Paret, 

"Bishop  of  Maryland." 

They  accept  practically  our  whole  system  doctrine  and 
all,  adapted  to  racial  needs.  But,  with  respect  to  the  man- 
hood of  the  black  man,  the}-  hold  to  that  as  tenaciously  as 
did  Henry  Winter  Davis  to  the  Union.  And  on  their  behalf, 
in  this  matter,  we  might  well  apply  the  spirit  dominating 
Henry  Wnter  Davis,  when  on  the  floor  of  the  National  Con- 
gress he  eloquently  said : 

"If  we  must  fall,  let  our  last  hours  be  stained  with  no 
weakness;  if  we  must  fall,  let  us  stand  amid  the  crash  of  the 
falling  republic  and  be  buried  in  its  ruins,  so  that  history  may 
take  note  that  men  lived  in  the  middle  of  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury worthy  of  a  better  fate,  but  chastised  by  God  for  the 
sins  of  their  forefathers.  Let  the  ruins  of  the  republic  remain 
to  testify  to  the  latest  generations  our  greatness  and  our 
heroism.  And  let  Liberty,  crownless  and  childless,  sit  upon 
these  ruins,  crying  aloud  with  a  sad  wail  to  the  nations  of 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  303 

the  world:  'I  nursed  and  brought  up  children  and  they  have 
rebelled  against  me.'  " 

When  men  point  sneeringly  at  the  African  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  it  is  because  of  thorough  ignorance  of  its 
rise  and  history.  It  should  not  be  judged  from  the  stand- 
point of  the  ideals  to  which  it  has  not  yet  attained;  nor  by 
comparing  it  with  the  oldest  and  ablest  expressions  of  or- 
ganized church  life.  Rather  must  it  be  judged  by  its  best 
productions,  remembering  always  the  extreme  depths  of 
ignorance  in  which  it  was  born.  Any  number  of  the  best 
men  the  race  has  produced,  born  under  other  ecclessiastical 
environments,  were  drawn  to  the  help  of  this  organization  by 
the  mute  appeal  of  the  ignorant  masses  for  help.  And  h\ 
the  exhibition  of  genuine  self-sacririce  such  pioneer  colored 
men,  under  the  blessing  of  God,  succeeded  in  bringing  light 
out  of  darkness.  Bishop  Payne  came  to  African  Metiiodism 
from  the  Lutheran  Church  ;  Bishop  Tanner  from  the  Pre- 
byterian  Church,  and  Bishop  John  Albert  Johnson  from  t^e 
Church  of  England.  The  real  educated  men  of  this  denomi- 
nation have  wrought  victories  for  high  Christian  ideals  that 
can  hardly  be  appreciated  by  the  white  Church  who  are  ig- 
norant of  race  life  at  first  hand.  With  our  intimate  know- 
ledge of  African  Methodism,  and  its  leaders,  we  have  not 
the  least  doubt  in  the  world  that  whenever  the  Episcopal 
Church  is  sincerely  disposed  in  that  direction,  there  will  be 
no  great  difficulty  in  the  way  of  church  unity  and  complete 
fellowship  with  this  great  body  contending  for  one  vital 
principle  which  under  no  circumstances  will  it  surrender  or 
compromise.  That  is  the  full  and  complete  recognition  of 
the  manhood  of  the  black  man. 

It  would  be  utterly  impossible  for  self-respecting  men  to 
do  otherwise. 


304  The  Afro-Americax  Group 

APPENDIX  TWO. 

''my  last  work  upon  earth'' 

"Since  my  last  annual  address  I  have  purchased  a  desir- 
able lot  of  ground  and  have  built  a  rectory  and  church  (now 
used  for  a  day  school  and  Sunday  School  also).  A  colored 
layman  is  licensed  to  lay  read,  with  privilege  of  exhorting. 
A  lady  from  Virginia  is  in  charge  of  the  day  school.  The 
moneys  expended  in  building  and  conducting  the  work  here 
came  from  abroad.  The  Rev.  J.  S.  Johnston  (now  the  re- 
tired Bishop  of  West  Texas)  without  whose  earnest  co- 
operation I  could  not  have  begun  this  work,  has  had  charge 
of  the  disbursements  of  all  the  funds  expended  in  the  erec- 
tion of  the  buildings,  etc I  feel  that  this  is  my  last 

new  work  on  earth.  If  it  be  of  God,  and  I  do  not  doubt  it, 
it  will  in  due  time  be  established ;  if  it  is  not  of  God,  it  will 
and  should  fail. 

"I  am  glad  to  spend  my  last  days  for  the  benefit  of  a  race 
whose  elevation  or  continued  degeneration,  must  affect  the 
future  of  this,  our  Southern  country,  for  generations  to 
come. 

"These  people  have  by  toil  and  sweat  redeemed  this 
Southern  land  from  the  wilderness;  they  nursed  and  tended 
us  in  our  childhood;  and  today  we  are  Indebted  to  their  in- 
dustry for  whatever  great  degree  of  agricultural  prosperity 
we  enjoy.  They  are  with  us  for  weal  or  woe,  and  It  Is  our 
bounden  duty,  no  less  than  our  Interest,  to  do  all  within  our 
power  to  promote  their  temporal  and  spiritual  welfare. 

"For  myself  I  can  truly  say,  that  If  I  ever  have  done  much 
for  him  (the  Negro)  he  has  likewise  done  much  for  me  from 
my  childhood  up  to.  this  hour.  Some  of  my  earliest  lessons 
of  faith  and  child-like  trust  have  been  taught  me  by  his  lips 
and  life.     From  him  I  learned  first  that  'the  thunder,'  which 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  305. 

caused  my  timid  heart  to  throb,  was  the  voice  of  the  Great 
Father  and  that  'the  air  around  me  was  the  great  sea  of  His 
infinite  love.'  Never  have  words  of  wisdom  come  to  me 
from  Christ  with  more  power  and  permanence  of  impression 
than  when  He  has  spoken  to  me  through  this  oft-despised 
man.  May  my  place  in  heaven  be  as  well  assured  as  that  of 
some  of  these  friends  of  my  childhood. 

"And  to  my  mind,  this  is  of  all  realizations  of  Christ  as 
the  power  of  God  and  the  wisdom  of  God,  the  most  sublime 
and  beautiful — the  unity  in  their  several  gradations  of  all 
orders  and  degrees  of  men  in  the  body  of  the  dear  Lord ; 
where  mutual  love  doth  reign ;  where  mutual  helpfulness 
prevails ;  where  the  superior  wisdom  and  riches  bestowed  on 
the  one  part  of  the  body  continually  flow  forth  to  relieve  the 
poverty  and  ignorance  of  the  other,  to  flow  back  in  returns 
of  a  blessedness  beyond  all  the  gifts  of  human  intelligence. 
Oh,  this  is  the  great  need  of  the  Church,  and  of  the  State. 
That  we  could  have  more  of  the  mind  of  Christ.  This 
would  be  the  resolver  of  all  doubts, the  clew  to  all  labyrinths, 
the  grand  Catholicon  for  all  distempers,  the  universal  sol- 
vent, the  great  indissoluble  bond  of  unity,  peace  and  con- 
cord."— Fro?n  the  Convention  address  (1884)  of  Bishop 
Richard  Hooker  JVibner. 

"contrary  to  the  mixd  of  Christ" 

"It  introduced,  needlessly,  as  I  thought,  the  objectionable 
feature  of  class  legislation.  It  is  proposed  to  set  off  mission- 
ary organizations  for  th  colored  people,  not  on  the  ground 
of  their  incapacity  and  ignorance,  but  upon  the  ground  of 
color.  I  say  'not  on  the  ground  of  incapacity  or  ignorance,' 
for  it  is  notorious  that  there  are  multitudes  of  white  people 
in  some  of  our  States  who,  as  it  regards  intelligence,  educa- 
tion and  manners,  are  not  superior  to  the  colored  population 


306  The  Afro-American  Group 

and  are  quite  inferior  to  that  class  of  colored  people  who  are 
prepared  to  enter  the  communion  of  this  Church.  If  then  a 
separate  missionary  organization  be  desirable  for  any  of  our 
people  on  the  ground  of  their  incapacity  and  ignorance — 
and  that  point  is  the  one  now  to  be  determined — why  is  it 
not  equally  desirable  for  people  of  all  colors? 

"Why  then  introduce  the  word  'colored,'  except  to  draw 
in  Church  legislation  the  color-line  and  thus  bring  into  op- 
eration a  caste  and  class  legislation — a  hitherto  unknown 
feature  in  Church  legislation?  This  was,  as  I  thought,  the 
un-Catholic  feature  in  the  canon.  For  my  own  part,  I  saw 
no  sufficient  reason  for  any  special  legislation,  and  proposed 
to  the  Conference  a  resolution  which  embodies  the  sentiments 
of  this  present  address.     The  resolution  was  as  follows: 

"  'Resolved,  That  in  the  judgment  of  the  Bishops  and 
other  clergy  and  of  the  laity  assembled  to  consider  the  relation 
of  the  Church  to  the  colored  population,  it  would  be  con- 
trary to  the  mind  of  Christ,  inconsistent  with  true  Catho- 
licity and  detrimental  to  the  best  interest  of  all  concerned, 
to  provide  any  separate  and  independent  organization  or  leg- 
islation for  the  peoples  embraced  wthin  the  communion  of 
the  Church.' 

*'  'Contrary  to  the  mind  of  Christ,"  because  containing 
the  element  of  'partiality'  and  'respect  of  persons'  in  His 
Church  which  He  purchased  with  His  most  precious  blood. 
Christ  was,  when  'made  man,'  the  manifestation  to  Univer- 
sal Humanity  of  the  Divine  Fatherhood.  In  His  body,  the 
Church,  there  was  to  be  no  recognition  of  race,  color,  condi- 
tion or  estate.  Barbarian,  Scythian,  bond  or  free,  w^ere  one 
in  Him  through  His  Incarnation.  Thus,  through  Him,  Our 
Lord,  there  was  one  faith,  one  baptism,  one  God  and  Father 
of  all,  above  all,  through  all  and  in  them  all. 

"  'Inconsistent  with  true  Catholicity,'  because  it  legislated 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  307 

inv'diously  for  a  class,  and  thus  introduced  the  element  of 
caste  into  a  'Kingdom  which  is  not  of  this  world.' 

"  'Detrimental  to  the  interests  of  all  concerned.'  because 
it  tends  to  throw  oft"  the  one  part,  the  least  wise  and  capable, 
to  themselves,  thus  depriving  them  of  the  fulness  of  privileges 
granted  to  others,  and  also  depriving  the  other  part  of  the 
body  of  the  benefits  which  flow  from  the  exercise  of  the 
graces  of  condescension  and  sympathy  which  can  only  find 
full  scope  in  integral  unity  and  union." — (1883)  Bishop 
Wilmer  in  his  dissent  from  the  findings  of  the  Sewanee  Con- 
ference 

APPENDIX  THREE. 

RISHOP    brooks'   great   SPEECH    OX    BEHALF  OF   OUR  GROUP 

In  the  General  Convention  of  1889,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Phil- 
lips Brooks,  a  clerical  deputy  from  the  diocese  of  Massachu- 
setts, addressing  the  House  of  Deputies,  said : 

"I  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  this  is  a  motion  to  sub- 
stitute one  report  for  another  report,  and  therefore  it  is  upon 
this  report  as  well  as  upon  the  resolutions  that  I  desire  to 
speak.  I  can  easily  say  why  it  was  considered  not  merely 
desirable  but  absolutely  necessary  that  the  minority  report 
should  be  presented.  The  points  are  these,  which  indicate 
a  distinct  inadequacy  in  the  report  of  the  majority  as  to  the 
condition  of  things  with  which  we  find  ourselves  confronted. 

"In  the  first  place,  the  report  of  the  majority  does  not 
distinctly  and  cordially  recognize  the  right  and  the  neces- 
sity of  the  petition  made  to  them,  the  condition  of  things 
that  make  such  action  justifiable.  On  the  contrary  it  implies 
throughout  that  it  is  an  entirely  unnecessary  appeal,  and  that 
the  Church  stands  clear  already  on  this  question.  The  min- 
oritv  do  not  think  so. 


308  The  Afro-American  Group 

''In  the  next  place  the  report  of  the  majority  appeals  to 
the  history  of  the  Church,  but  the  majority  absolutely  decline 
to  carry  forward  the  historical  statement  in  the  first  place 
into  the  statement  of  a  distinct  proposition,  and  in  the  second 
place,  into  a  declaration  of  what  ought  to  be  done. 

"Now,  it  is  because  the  Church  does  not  stand  clear  upon 
this  question,  because  the  colored  clergy  have  their  right  to 
doubt,  because  any  man  of  color  would  have  most  profound 
reasons  for  doubting,  as  to  whether  he  could  occupy  a  posi- 
tion in  which  a  priest  or  man  could  respect  himself,  and  it  is 
upon  that  that  the  minority  asks  this  Convention  to  say  in 
the  first  place,  that  there  is  good  ground  for  the  asking  of 
this  question,  and  secondly  it  is  not  simply  an  historical  fact 
upon  which  we  may  rest,  but  that  there  should  be  a  clear 
statement  of  the  principle  that  in  this  branch  of  the  Church 
of  Christ,  as  throughout  all  the  Church  of  Christ,  no  dis- 
tinction whatever,  whatsoever  or  wheresoever  of  race  or 
color,  and  therefore  as  a  distinct  and  necessary  consequence 
of  that,  the  principle  is  nothing  if  it  is  not  a  declaration  of 
legislation  of  whatever  kind,  in  whatever  place,  that  is  based 
on  race  or  color,  is  contrary  to  the  spirit  of  Christ. 

"We  ask  the  acceptance  of  this  report  and  these  resolu- 
tions, first  because  they  are  true.  It  is  impossible — it  is  im- 
possible for  us  to  waive  the  facing  of  this  question  whether 
the  resolutions  are  true  or  not.  If  they  are  true  let  the 
Church  be  brave  enough,  bold  enough  to  vote  for  them. 

"While  I  am  willing  to  let  consequences  take  care  of 
themselves,  I  do  with  all  my  heart  think  that  the  best  policy 
of  the  Church  is  in  line  with  the  profoundest  duty  of  the 
Church.  We  can  not  appeal  to  the  colored  race  until  we 
have  given  a  clear  and  distinct  answer  on  this  question.  We 
stand  paralyzed  before  the  Negro  race.     If  I  were  of  that 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  309 

race  I  would  never,  as  a  Negro,  enter  into  the  ministry  of 
this  Church  until  that  question  was  answered. 

"It  seems  to  me  the  Church  can  answer  the  question 
clearly  and  adequately  in  no  better  terms  than  those  em- 
braced in  the  first,  second  and  third  of  those  resolutions.  I 
believe  that  our  missions  to  the  colored  people  will  be  para- 
lyzed unless  we  are  able  to  make  some  clear  statement,  for 
it  is  impossible  to  appeal  to  the  race  unless  we  have  first 
given  them  a  clear  and  distinct  answer. 

**But  it  is  not  in  view  of  the  consequences,  disastrous  as 
they  may  be,  but  it  is  in  view  of  the  essential  righteousness 
of  the  thing,  in  view  of  the  frankness  and  manliness  with 
which  a  Convention  like  this  should  answer  such  a  question 
as  is  put  before  them.  Yea  or  nay  is  the  answer  demanded 
by  this  question  and  is  just  the  answer  that  is  given  by  the 
resolutions  of  the  minority:  Are  they  true,  or  are  they  not 
true?  If  they  are  true,  say  so;  if  they  are  not  so,  then  say 
they  are  not  so. 

**It  is  impossible  for  this  Convention  to  reject  those  reso- 
lutions for  any  reason  which  will  not  carry  to  the  world  at 
large  any  other  reason  that  the  belief  that  those  statements 
are  not  true. 

"We,  of  the  minority,  believe  with  all  our  hearts  that 
they  are  true;  and  therefore  we  purpose  to  vote  for  them, 
and  we  believe  it  to  be  our  duty  to  present  them  tp  this  Con- 
vention. 

"I  do  not  know  how  other  churches  in  this  country,  I  do 
not  ask  how  other  Christian  bodies  are  standing  on  this 
question.  I  do  not  care  to  consult  their  records.  I  know 
that  the  color  line  has  again  and  again  presented  itself  as  a 
difficult  question  among  them.  I  do  not  care  to  compare 
church  with  church.     But  I  do  care  for  the  Church  of  our 


310  The  Afro-American  Group 

love  that  she  shall  establish  herself  as  the  leader  of  men's 
consciences,  that  she  shall  be  brave  and  true  and  fearless.  I 
dare  to  look  forward  to  the  time  when  in  the  ministry  of 
Christ  in  our  Church,  above  all  others,  there  shall  be  no  line 
drawn  simply  to  mark  the  color  of  men's  skins,  to  incapaci- 
tate men  for  functions  of  the  ministry,  with  all  the  rights 
and  responsibilities  whatever  attached  to  them,  without  re- 
ference to  the  race  to  which  they  belong." 

APPExNDIX  FOUR. 

At  the  19th  annual  meeting  of  the  Conference  of  Church 
Workers  Among  Colored  People,  held  in  St.  Lukes  Church, 
New  Haven,  Conn.,  September  15th,  1903,  a  Commission  of 
Fifteen  was  created  to  seek  an  interview  with  the  Bishops  in 
Southern  dioceses  with  respect  to  the  adjustment  of  the 
Historic  Episcopate  to  the  needs  of  the  colored  race.  Through 
the  kindness  and  courtesy  of  the  late  Bishop  Dudley  of  Ken- 
tucky, chairman  of  the  Commission  for  Work  Among  Col- 
ored People,  an  audience  was  secured  in  the  city  of  Wash- 
ington at  the  Pro-Cathedral  on  Monday,  October  26,  1903. 
Bishop  Dudley  presided  in  this  conference  and  the  Rev.  Geo. 
F.  Bragg,  Jr.,  D.  D.,  and  the  Rev.  Prof.  J.  W.  Johnson  of 
the  Bishop  Payne  Divinity  School,  Petersburg,  Va.,  were 
selected  by  the  Conference  Commission  to  be  their  spokes- 
men. Bishops  from  the  following  dioceses  and  jurisdictions 
were  present:  Alabama,  Arkansas,  Georgia,  Kentucky,  Lex- 
ington, Massachusetts,  Mississippi,  North  Carolina,  Tennes- 
see, Texas,  Vermont,  Virginia,  Washington,  West  Virginia 
(Bishop  Coadjutor)  and  the  jurisdiction  of  Southern  Florida. 

The  members  of  the  Conference  Commission  present 
were:  Rev.  Messrs.  Bragg,  Bishop,  Miller,  H.  L.  Phillips, 
Waller,  Tunnell,  E.  R.  Bennett,  Johnson  and  Archdeacon 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  311 

Pollard.    Laity :  Messrs.  Dr.  J.  C.  Norwood,  R.  R.  Horner, 
Walker  W.  Lewis  and  Solomon  DcCourcey. 

AX  ADDRESS  TO  THE   BISHOPS   IN  SOUTHERN  DIOCESES 

"Venerable  Fathers  in  God: 

"We  desire,  first  of  all,  to  tender  you  our  sincere  thanks 
for  your  prompt  and  ready  response  to  the  invitation  of  the 
Conference  of  Church  Workers  Among  the  Colored  People, 
to  meet  in  friendly  conference  with  representatives  from  that 
body,  with  respect  to  matters  pertaining  to  a  branch  of  the 
Church's  missionary  work  in  which  you,  as  well  as  ourselves, 
are  profoundly  interested.  There  are  grave  and  serious  diffi- 
culties which  interpose  and  hinder  the  advancement  of  the 
Kingdom  of  God  among  the  colored  people,  and  if  we  shall 
seem,  in  this  address,  to  confine  ourselves  wholly  to  one  of 
these  disadvantages,  it  is  because,  in  our  judgment,  the  re- 
moval of  the  same  carries  with  it  the  solution  of  most  of  the 
remaining  ones. 

"Those  of  us  who  work  in  the  South,  or  have  worked  in 
the  Southern  States,  can  and  do  most  cheerfully  testify  to  the 
unfailing  kindness,  love,  gentleness,  and  deep  interest  in  this 
work  which  have  characterized  many  of  our  white  brethren. 
The  peculiar  conditions  which  militate  so  stubbornly  against 
any  great  advance  of  the  Church  among  the  colored  race  are 
to  be  sought  from  other  causes  rather  than  from  any  lack  of 
interest  on  their  part.  While  the  members  of  our  own  race 
sustain  the  profoundest  respect,  good-will,  and  appreciation 
for  the  dominant  race,  yet  such  are  our  racial  idiosyncrasies 
and  past  ecclesiastical  education,  that  w^e  find  it  increasingly 
difficult  to  adjust  ourselves,  ecclesiastically,  to  the  seeming 
demands  of  our  white  neighbors  and  brethren. 

"It  is  far  from  our  purpose  to  condemn  or  indulge  in 
unkindly  criticism.  We  desire  simply  to  state  the  fact.  As 
at  present  constituted,  it  would  seem  utterly  impossible  for 


312  The  Afro-Am ericax  Group 

the  colored  clergy  and  laity  to  receive  equal  and  impartial 
treatment  and  consideration  in  the  several  diocesan  Conven- 
tions. As  a  result,  much  is  said  and  done  which  hinders  rath- 
er than  advances  the  cause  of  our  Lord.  We  are  supremely 
desirous  that  peace,  friendship  and  love  should  mutually 
obtain  between  us;  and  in  furtherance  of  such  a  laudable 
end,  to  the  glory  of  Almighty  God  and  the  salvation  of  all 
souls,  we  are  led  to  ask  of  you  your  good  offices  in  securing 
such  additional  canonical  legislation  as  will  remove  us  from 
the  humiliating  and  undignified  position  in  which  we  find 
ourselves  in  the  Church. 

The  Historic  Episcopate  does  not  touch  us  as  closely  and 
as  helpfully  as  the  needs  of  the  great  body  of  our  people 
demand.  This  is  not  so  much  because  our  Diocesan  Bishops 
are  indisposed  to  do  their  utmost  in  this  particular,  but  rather 
because  the  civic  and  social  condition  obtainng  between  the 
two  races  renders  it  dfficult  for  them  to  do  so.  Diocesan 
convocations  for  colored  people,  subject  to  the  control  of 
diocesan  conventions,  as  established  in  several  dioceses,  do 
not  meet  the  requirements  of  the  situation  and  have  not  been 
fruitful  of  satisfactory  results.  They  greatly  aggravate  con- 
ditions already  distressing.  Too  often  it  is  the  case  that 
prominent  laymen  in  our  diocesan  conventions  are  also  prom- 
inent in  civic  conventions  which  do  not  so  lovingly  deal  with 
the  civil  concerns  of  the  colored  race.  Our  people  do  not 
believe  that  the  men  who  minimize  their  civic  rights  and 
privileges  can  safely  be  trusted  to  advance  the  human  side  of 
their  spiritual  interests. 

"In  view  of  the  present  exigencies,  and  pre-eminently,  as 
a  measure  of  peace  and  good-will,  on  both  sides,  it  is  our 
calm  and  deliberate  judgment,  the  result  of  many  years  of 
patient  observation,  study  and  prayer,  that  the  prosecution 
of  our  work  in  the  Southern  States,  among  the  colored  peo- 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  313 

pie,  should  be  placed  more  directly  under  the  general  Church. 
We  believe  that  there  should  be  missionar}^  jurisdictions  ex- 
tending through  two  or  more  dioceses,  with  a  Bishop  at  the 
head  of  each,  drawn  from  the  same  race  represented  by  the 
clergy  and  people  among  whom  he  is  to  labor.  Thus,  we 
would  respectfully,  but  most  earnestly,  ask  of  the  General 
Convention,  through  you,  our  Right  Reverend  Fathers: 

"The  adoption  of  a  canon,  not  mandatory ,  but  permissive j 
embracing  the  following  general  features: 

(a)  "That  it  shall  be  lawful  for  the  General  Conven- 
tion, upon  the  request  of  two  or  more  Diocesan  Bishops  con- 
tiguously situated  to  constitute  into  a  missionary  jurisdiction 
their  territory,  as  pertaining  to  the  colored  race. 

(b)  "The  Diocesan  Bishops  wihin  the  bounds  of  each 
missionary  jurisdiction  thus  constituted  to  compose  an  Ad- 
visory Council  for  work  among  colored  people  in  such  terri- 
tory. 

(c)  Such  jurisdictions  to  be  absolutely  independent  of 
diocesan  conventions,  and  represented  in  the  General  Con- 
vention as  that  body  may  prescribe. 

(d)  "Any  jurisdiction  constituted  under  this  canon  to 
be  altered,  re-arranged,  or  terminated  at  the  will  of  the  Gen- 
eral Convention. 

"Such  in  brief  outline  are  the  salient  points  of  the  adap- 
tation of  the  Historic  Episcopate  to  the  needs  of  the  Afro- 
American  people." 

*     *     *     * 

"We  are  animated  with  but  one  single  purpose,  and  that 
is  to  see  our  beloved  Church  take  hold  of  our  race  and  carry 
to  them  the  Gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  received  and 
taught  by  this  Church.  A  cruel  injustice  is  done  to  a  faith- 
ful body  of  missionary  workers  in  our  field  when  it  is  made 
to   appear   that   our   persistent   and   earnest   efforts   in   this 


314  The  Afro-American  Group 

direction  are  inspired  by  an  unholy  ambition  to  seek  exalted 
positions  for  the  leaders  in  this  movement.  The  present 
want  of  a  general  system  of  action  in  this  missionary  de- 
partment of  the  Church's  work  makes  our  labor  more  stren- 
uous and  difficult,  keeps  self-respecting  people  out  of  the 
Church,  and  makes  it  harder  to  get  suitable  and  sufficient 
candidates  for  Holy  Orders. 

"We  utterly  abhor  and  repudiate  any  insinuation  that 
what  we  ask  is  the  first  important  step  in  the  creation  of  an 
African  Church  apart  and  separate  from  our  present  Amer- 
ican Church.  Separate  jurisdictions  and  conventions  do  not 
imply  separate  and  distinct  churches.  We  are  in  the  one 
Church  by  virtue  of  Holy  Baptism;  and  the  Episcopate, 
whether  diocesan  or  missionary,  constitutes  the  visible  ex- 
pression of  the  unity  of  all  the  parts  in  the  one  Catholic 
Church  of  Christ. 

"And  now,  Right  Reverend  Fathers  in  God,  we  rest  our 
case  with  you.  We  are  most  anxious  that  you  should  have 
the  benefit  of  any  additional  light  or  information  which  any 
of  us  can  impart,  and  it  will  be  a  pleasure  on  our  part  to  re- 
spond to  any  questions  which  may  suggest  themselves  to  you 
in  connection  with  this  subject.  We  have  endeavored  to  place 
before  you  the  main  facts,  and  a  general  outline  of  the  legis- 
lation which  we  deem  necessary  for  the  successful  and  ag- 
gressive prosecution  of  the  w^ork  among  our  race  by  the 
Church  in  which  we  have  the  honor  of  claiming  sonship. 

APPENDIX  FIVE. 

THE  ST.  LOUIS  GENERAL  CONVENTION 

Extracts  from  the  Majority  Report  at  the  General  Con- 
vention held  in  St.  Louis,  in  1916: 

We  are  not  unmindful  of  posible  grave  conse- 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  315 

quences  of  such  establishment,  which  we  have  endeavored 
reasonably  to  anticipate. 

"First  among  these  consequences  is  the  violation  of  the 
principle  of  Diocesan  Unity,  by  the  establishment  of  a  sepa- 
rate jurisdiction  in  the  territorial  diocese.  While  it  may  ser- 
iously be  questioned  whether  a  territorial  diocese  is  indeed  a 
principle  of  the  Church  in  every  age  of  her  history  prevalent, 
it  is  certainly  true  that  the  division  of  man  into  racial  fami- 
lies has  prevailed  and  persisted  since  the  dawn  of  history; 
and  equally  true  that  while  the  territorial  diocese  is  clearly 
man-made,  the  division  into  races  is  God-made.  In  our  be- 
lief, in  providing  ecclessiastical  organiaztion  for  the  develop- 
ment and  education  of  the  races  of  men,  it  would  seem  far 
wiser  to  adhere  closely  to  the  establishment  of  God's  nature 
than  to  those  of  man's  artifice.  No  one  of  us  can  look  to  the 
end  and  discover  God's  purpose  for  the  separate  races  of  man, 
but  no  one  who  has  had  any  experience  of  the  races,  but 
knows  that  each  has  racial  characteristics  and  differentiations 
which  must  be  reckoned  with  whenever  the  races  come  into 
relation  with  one  another.  We  are  persuaded  that  the  radi- 
cal differences  between  the  Negro  and  the  Anglo-Saxon,  of 
which  the  color  is  neither  the  gravest  or  the  greatest,  consti- 
tute sufficient  reason  for  departing  from  the  custom  (not  the 
principle)  of  territorial  division,  long  revered,  but  seriously 
inapplicable  to  the  harmony  of  the  two,  as  well  as  to  the 
normal  development  of  each.  In  our  view,  it  is  consistent 
wtih  God's  appointment  that  the  racial  family  be  recognized 
as  such,  and  consistent  with  our  own  unfailing  method  of 
practical  administration  in  the  Church.  Wherever  the  Ne- 
groes have  turned  to  the  Church  in  sufficient  numbers  to 
w^arrant  it,  congregations  of  their  own  race  have  been  or- 
ganized by  our  authority.  Wherever  priests  of  their  race 
could  be  found  to  minister  to  them,  they  have  been  settled  by 


316  The  Afro-American  Group 

us  as  the  heads  of  the  ecclessiastical  race  families.  We  re- 
spctfuUy  but  boldly  urge  the  consideration  that  in  presenting 
their  memorial  for  the  establishment  of  racial  districts,  the 
Negro  race  has  logically  and  consistently  interpreted  not 
only  the  necessary  conclusion  from  God's  creation,  but  the 
natural  result  of  our  ecclessiastical  training.  Viewed  from 
their  viewpoint  their  request  is  a  natural  one.  Viewed  from 
the  vantage  of  Church  practice,  it  is  a  natural  outcome  of 
her  consistent  proceedure.  Viewed  from  the  vantage  of  the 
law  of  racial  life,  it  is  natural  that  the  Church  should  thus 
conform  herself  to  God's  law,  which  she  can  not  change, 
rather  than  to  ecclessiastical  law,  which  may  be  changed  and 
modified  when  conformity  to  that  which  is  higher  is  desired. 

'* When  we  have  helped  the  Negro  to  the 

achievement  of  racial  self-sufficiency,  which  is  born  of  accom- 
plishment, to  self-mastery,  which  follows  moral  victory,  and 
to  pride  of  race,  which  is  only  possible  when  these  victories 
have  been  gained,  we  shall  have  fixed  within  him  the  passion 
for  social  integrity,  which  is  as  justly  natural  as  is  that  for 
racial  reproduction.  Separation  of  races  is  greatly  misin- 
terpreted, if  it  is  not  recognized  to  be  the  first  necessary  step 
towards  the  achievement  of  those  ends.  This  is  fully  recog- 
nized by  the  Negro  leaders  of  the  South.  It  is  difficult  to 
conceive  how  anyone  can  imagine  that  a  race  can  be  honored 
by  repression,  or  helped  to  self-expression  by  the  practical 
destruction  of  its  racial  identity.  If  the  sympathy  of  the 
white  race  is  to  be  gained  at  such  cost,  the  price  is  too  dear. 
Happily,  this  is  not  necessary,  for  in  proportion  as  the  racial 
representative  is  truly  and  faithfully  the  representative  of 
his  race,  does  he  both  merit  and  receive  the  sympathy  which 
helps,  and  the  respect  which  honors  and  elevates. 

We  have  not  forgotten  that  in  her  constitu- 
tion the  Church  has  provided  for  the  election  of  Suffragan 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  317 

Bishops,  who  may  be  racial.  But  although  this  provision  has 
existed  for  six  3'ears,  it  has  not  been  found  desirable  for  the 
Negro  race,  though  its  confessedly  designed  purpose  was,  at 
first  proposed  to  provide  spiritual  leadership  for  them.  The 
door  of  opportunity  is  still  open  for  its  use.  Those  who  be- 
lieve that  it  will  not  meet  the  case,  respectfully  ask  that  a 
like  permission  be  given  to  them  to  use  the  proposed  consti- 
tutional provision  for  the  missionary  jurisdiction  upon  racial 
lines.  We  ask  only  for  the  same  permission  to  use  this  ex- 
pedient, which  has  been  granted  to  use,  the  expedient  of 
the  Suffragan. 

"The  proposed  amendment  is  not  mandatory.  It  does 
not  require  the  proposed  organization.  It  does  not  infringe 
~upon  the  diocesan  rights  nor  force  the  unwilling  assent  of 
the  Diocesan  Bishops,  or  the  Negroes  themselves.  It  per- 
mits organization  where  desirable  and  practicable.  It  may 
be  many  years  before  a  full  complement  of  Negro  Bishops  is 
either  needed  or  may  be  provided.  But  while  the  amend- 
ment will  not  be  mandatory,  neither  is  it  prohibitive,  as  our 
constitution  practically  is  as  it  now  stands.  Does  anyone 
suppose  that  an  American  diocese  will  ever  set  a  Negro  or 
an  Asiatic  or  an  Indian  as  Bishop  over  the  diocesan  family? 
And  if  Negro  and  Asiatic  are  to  be,  perhaps,  more  and  more 
become,  constituent  parts  of  American  dioceses,  can  anyone 
suppose  that  this  does  not  mean  restriction  and  prohibition  of 
the  free,  full  exercise  of  ecclessiastical  franchise  and  liberty? 
Can  anyone  maintain  that  for  them  the  birth  into  the  Church 
is  birth  into  the  'liberty  of  the  sons  of  God?'  It  is  quite 
true  that  the  races  have  a  Bishop,  the  Diocesan  Bishop,  of 
the  white  race.  But  is  there  one  who  does  not  confess  his  in- 
ability to  be  the  Bishop  of  another  race  in  the  sense  and  in 
the  power  that  he  is  Bishop  of  his  own  race?    And  does  not 


318  The  Afro-American  Group 

this  deprive  the  races  of  men  of  Christian  rights  and  bless- 
ings, which  the  blessed  Incarnate  Christ  came  to  bestow? 

" We  affirm  that  it  is  not  an  effort  to  solve  a 

problem,  it  is  distinctly  an  effort  to  do  justice  to  a  great  race 
of  God's  people.  It  is  an  effort  to  afford  to  that  race, 
brought  into  our  midst  through  no  wish  of  theirs,  every 
means  of  self-development.  We  confidently  believe  that  if 
there  be  any  solution  of  the  problem,  it  w411  be  revealed  only 
when  we  have  fulfilled  our  duty  in  doing  justly  by  a  race 
who  cannot  command  it." 

APPENDIX  SIX. 

FIXING   THE    POINT  OF   CONTACT 

"Now  I  submit  the  point  at  issue  really  is:  Where  shall 
the  point  of  contact  be?  As  it  stands  at  the  present  time  it 
does  not  take  place  in  the  parishes.  There  are  colored  parish- 
es and  there  are  white  parishes.  There  is  no  rule  to  prevent 
intermingling,  and  there  ought  not  to  be.  But  as  a  matter 
of  fact  a  division  exists  in  the  smallest  unit,  w^hich  is  the 
parish.  Now  we  have  attempted  to  bring  about  the  union 
in  the  diocese,  and  that  attempt  is  the  cause  of  all  this  trou- 
ble. It  seems  to  me  perfectly  consistent  with  the  theory  of 
equality  that  the  point  of  contact  between  the  races  should 
take  place  in  this  (the  General)  Convention,  rather  than  in 
the  diocesan  convention,  and  that  apart  from  economical 
usage  there  is  no  reason  at  all  why  there  should  not  be  an 
organization  of  colored  men  with  their  own  Bishops,  as  well 
as  their  own  presbyters,  the  Bishops  of  which  organizations 
should  have  seats  in  the  House  of  Bishops,  and  Deputies  from 
the  congregations  should  have  seats  with  equal  rights  in  this 
house  with  deputies  from  the  white  congregations. — From 
the  speech  of  the  Honorable  Seth  Low,  in  the  General  Con- 
vention of  1889. 


OF  THE  Episcopal  Church  319 

APPENDIX  SEVEN. 


"The  men  who  favored  a  racial  jurisdiction  favored  it 
not  as  a  fad,  or  as  a  fancy,  or  merely  as  the  first  of  many 
methods,  but  they  favored  it  because  they  believed  it  was 
right  and  the  only  right  thing  for  the  Church  to  do,  and 
that  the  Church  never  would  prosper  in  its  Negro  work 
until  that  right  thing  was  done.  They  believed  the  duty  of 
the  Church  was  to  give  the  Negro  a  square  deal  in  the 
Church,  whether  he  got  it  anywhere  else  in  the  world  or 
not ;  to  set  before  him  an  open  door  of  hope  and  to  make  him 
understand  that  the  Church  of  the  Living  God  recognized 
no  social,  or  political,  or  racial  difference  whatsoever,  and  that 
in  the  Church  every  human  being  stood  on  the  same  footing 
as  every  other  human  being." — The  Rev.  Dr.  William 
Meade  Clarke,  late  editor  of  The  Southern  Churchman,  on 
the  eve  of  his  translation. 


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